Philmont Scout Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cimarron, New Mexico 87714
Tuesady, August 2, 1988 14:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AFTER A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER STARTING THE ENG THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THE ENG QUIT. AFTER DRAINING THE SUMPS THE ENG RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS.THE ACFT THEN DEPARTED AND THE WITNESSES LEFT THE AIRPORT. NO ONE SAW THE ACDT. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 3 HRS LATER. THE ACFT HAD BEEN PARKED AT THE AIRPORT FOR 11 DAYS WITH FUEL TANKS PARTIALLY FILLED. FUEL TANK CAP SEALS WERE DETERIORATED AND SEVERAL RAIN SHOWERS HAD OCCURRED AT THE AIRPORT DURING THE 11 DAYS. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PREFLIGHT HIS AIRCRAFT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURES PROVIDED IN THE OPERATORS HANDBOOK THUS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER FOLLOWING TAKEOFF DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION CAUSED BY WATER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CIMARRON
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87714
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E85
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 6800
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1349 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID LVS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6866
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2508
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 2 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39791
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4006T
NTSB Number DEN88FA170
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B23
Aircraft Series Identifier B23
Aircraft Serial Number N-1113
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 1762
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS BROOKS CHARTERED
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11111 E 95TH STREET SUITE 200
Aircraft Owner City OVERLAND PARK
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66214
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THOMAS BROOKS CHARTERED
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 11111 E. 95TH ST. SUITE 200
Operator City OVERLAND PARK
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 66214
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code E85
Departure City CIMARRON
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1350
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RTN
Destination City RATON
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --