Rawlins Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rawlins, Wyoming 82301
Monday, August 29, 1988 7:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT AND PAX WERE ON A FLIGHT FROM MILWAUKEE, WI, TO LAS VEGAS, NV. THE PLT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED STOP AT RAWLINS DUE TO POOR VIS AND LOW FUEL. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH SUIT CASES, CAMPING GEAR, COOLERS AND FULL FUEL. THE PILOT AND PAX COMBINED WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 395 LBS. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM RAWLINS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BUT ABORTED DUE TO A HIGH DENSITY ALT. THE PLT DEPARTED THE NEXT MORNING AND ATTAINED A 100 FT PER MINUTE RATE OF CLIMB. THE PLT STATED THE ENG 'STALLED' DUE TO 'A LACK OF HORSEPOWER TO HANDLE THE WT OF THE ACFT AT HIGH ALT.' THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE OFF ARPT LANDING. THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE APPROX 7427 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 715
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAWLINS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82301
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 RAWLINS MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RWL
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 6900
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 625 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RWL
Elevation of weather observation facility 6820
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7427
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1439
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37564
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5873U
NTSB Number DEN88LA195
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-26705
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jul 13 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 3385
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CATHERINE SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1621 NORTH 48TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City MILWAUKEE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53208
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SMITH, CATHERINE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1621 NORMAN 48TH STREET
Operator City MILWAUKEE
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53208
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 RWL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 22
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --