Cavern City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
Monday, November 14, 1988 16:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON AN IFR BUSINESS/TRAINING FLT, THE ATP PLT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED FUEL STOP. ON A PRACTICE ILS APCH TO RWY 3, CIRCLING TO LAND RWY 21, THE ACFT YAWED HARD RT AND THE PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PLT SAID IT SOUNDED AND FELT LIKE THE RT ENGINE HAD LOST POWER. THE PLT SELECTED GEAR UP AND REDUCED THE THROTTLES AND MIXTURE CONTROLS. THE PLT SAID THAT WITH THE GEAR DOWN, FLAPS AT 15 DEG, AND THE RIGHT PROPELLER NOT FEATHERED, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB. HE ELECTED TO LAND BETWEEN RWY 3 AND 8, ON A DIRT AREA. DURING LANDING, THE ACFT TURNED 180 DEG AND SLID 270 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BY AN FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE RT FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE RT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK POSITION. THE RT ENGINE FUEL LINES CONTAINED A FEW DROPS OF FUEL. BOTH AUX TANKS WERE EMPTY AND NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE DETACHED RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88220
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CAVERN CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CNM
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 3293
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1530 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID CNM
Elevation of weather observation facility 3293
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5100
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 15 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38373
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1044Q
NTSB Number DEN89LA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310H
Aircraft Series Identifier 310H
Aircraft Serial Number 310H0044
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 13 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD A. MUELLER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2219 BREWSTER
Aircraft Owner City REDWOOD CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94062
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DTN
Departure City SHREVEPORT
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ELP
Destination City EL PASO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 7854
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --