Animas Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Durango, Colorado 81301
Friday, May 5, 1989 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT SAID HE SET UP A LONG FINAL APP IN PREPARATION FOR LANDING ON RWY 19 AT ANIMAS AIRPARK. HE SAID AS HE CROSSED THE END OF THE RWY AT ABOUT 60 FT AGL HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE WHICH RESULTED IN THE ACFT DROPPING TO NEAR GROUND LEVEL AND DRIFTING TO THE LT TO AN AREA BESIDE THE RWY. HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND AND DURING THE GO-AROUND THE RT WING COLLIDED WITH A WINDSOCK POLE. THE ACFT REMAINED AIRBORNE AND THE PLT FLEW TO ANOTHER NEARBY AIRPORT FOR LANDING. THE FBO AT ANIMAS AIRPARK SAID THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN TO THE WEST OF THE AIRPORT SOMETIMES RESULTS IN TURBULENCE IN THE VIC OF THE AIRPORT WHICH IS NOT PREDICTABLE OR NOTICEABLE AT GROUND LEVEL. THE ELEV OF THE AIRPORT IS 6690 FT. WITH A TEMP OF 60 F, THE DA WOULD BE 8000 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE CROSSWIND AND TURBULENCE ENCOUNTERED CLOSE TO THE GROUND AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DURANGO
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81301
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANIMAS AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5C00
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 6690
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 8000
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 247
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38563
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9147Y
NTSB Number DEN89LA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-B531015
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 1060
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAW, RALPH B
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3556 RYAN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ESCONDIDO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92025
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WESTERN AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2025 N. MARSHALL
Operator City EL CAJON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92020
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 No
Departure Airport Code MYF
Departure City SAN DIEGO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1509
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 5CO0
Destination City
Destination State
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 19
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --