Ernest A Love Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prescott, Arizona 86301
Saturday, April 8, 1989 11:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 5,042 FEET, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7,600 FEET. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THEY HAD ABORTED THE FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT BECAUSE THE ENGINE RPM WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR TAKEOFF. ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND FLEW IN GROUND EFFECT. THE ENGINE RPM WAS INSUFFICIENT TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND BANKED THE AIRPLANE TO AVOID POWERLINES. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO AN OPEN FIELD. THE CFI DID NOT LEAN THE MIXTURE FOR TAKEOFF. HE SAID HE BELIEVED THE CARBURETOR HAD AN AUTO-LEAN FEATURE AND HE DID NOT HAVE TO LEAN THE MIXTURE. THE IO-360 ENGINE IS FUEL INJECTED AND DOES NOT HAVE AUTO-LEAN. POST ACCIDENT ENGINE RUN REVEALED THE ENGINE WAS CAPABLE OF NORMAL OPERATION WITH FUEL MIXTURE PROPERLY SET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PLT TO LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE FOR THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE OPERATING PROCEDURES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/8/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PRESCOTT
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86301
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ERNEST A LOVE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRC
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1103 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 65
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 612
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40122
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9705M
NTSB Number LAX89LA151
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier M20F
Aircraft Serial Number 670265
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3323
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEYVA, JOSEPH B
Aircraft Owner Street Address 189 MEDICAL WAY SUITE A
Aircraft Owner City RIVERDALE
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30296
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOSEPH LEYVA
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 189 MEDICAL WAY SUITE A
Operator City RIVERDALE
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30296
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PRC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1057
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code INW
Destination City WINSLOW
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --