Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vaughn, New Mexico 88353
Tuesady, July 25, 1989 12:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT WAS TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL EAA CONVENTION AT OSHKOSH. THE FLT ORIGINATED IN CALIFORNIA AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN GILA BEND, AZ, WHEN THE 78-YR-OLD PASSENGER PASSED OUT DUE TO DEHYDRATION. THE PASSENGER WAS TREATED AND THE TRIP CONTINUED TO BENSON, AZ, WHERE A LANDING WAS MADE TO REPAIR THE ENGINE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE FLT THEN CONTINUED TO VAUGHN WHERE STORM CELLS WERE ENCOUNTERED AND A LANDING WAS MADE ON AN ABANDONED AIRSTRIP. THE NEXT MORNING THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO A SERVICE STATION WHERE IT WAS FUELED TO CAPACITY WITH AUTO FUEL. THE POLICE THEN STOPPED TRAFFIC AND THE FLT DEPARTED TO THE WEST FROM THE HIGHWAY. THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTH AND AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE THE PILOT TURNED TO THE NORTH. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE AND THEN STALLED AND CRASHED. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7200 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT ENTERING A STALL/MUSH AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO PERMIT RECOVERY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City VAUGHN
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88353
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
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 1200 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 227
Weather Observation Facility ID 4CR
Elevation of weather observation facility 6000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 27
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 600
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) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7200
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 799
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1405
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40297
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3137G
NTSB Number DEN89DQA02
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 CLOUD
Aircraft Model MA-5 CHARGER
Aircraft Series Identifier MA-5 CHARG
Aircraft Serial Number 0002
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 109
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLOUD, JOHN A
Aircraft Owner Street Address 14825 DELFBUSH ST
Aircraft Owner City SUNNMEAD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92388
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN A. CLOUD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 14825 DELFBUSH STREET
Operator City SUNNYMEAD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92388
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
Departure City VAUGHN
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DHT
Destination City DALHART
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --