Angel Fire Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Angel Fire, New Mexico 87710
Sunday, July 2, 1989 15:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT AND 3 PAX BOARDED THE ACFT AT ANGEL FIRE, NM (ELEV 8382 FT MSL) TO RETURN TO PHOENIX, AZ. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 11,582 FT MSL. THE ACFT, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED, HAD 54 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD AND WAS APRX 30 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 17 (8900 FT X 75 FT, 0.643% UPHILL GRADIENT). HE ROTATED 3 TIMES BEFORE THE ACFT FINALLY LIFTED OFF NEAR THE DEPARTURE END. NUMEROUS WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING LOW THROUGH THE VALLEY TOWARDS GRADUALLY RISING TERRAIN. IT FINALLY STRUCK TREES AND CRASHED APRX 5 MI FROM THE ARPT AT AN ELEV OF 8813 FT MSL. ONE PAX WAS FATALLY INJURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EVACUATE THE BURNING ACFT. PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATED THE ACFT WAS CAPABLE OF TAKING OFF UNDER THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. THE PLT LATER REPORTED THAT TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS DEGRADED THE ACFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE. HE ALSO INDICATED THE ACFT WAS ON THE VERGE OF STALLING THROUGHOUT THE SHORT FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, HIS PREMATURE ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO OBTAIN OR MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED TO CLIMB, AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF (WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT GROSS WEIGHT TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM LIMIT, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, UPHILL RUNWAY GRADIENT, DOWNDRAFT, TURBULENCE, AND TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1535
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ANGEL FIRE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87710
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 ANGEL FIRE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AXX
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 8382
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1080
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1717
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39357
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20CF
NTSB Number DEN89FA152
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model E33
Aircraft Series Identifier E33
Aircraft Serial Number CD-1203
Certified Max Gross Weight 3050
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 Dec 4 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 3294
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FITCH, PAUL S.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7230 N 10TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85021
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FITCH, PAUL S.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7230 N. 10TH AVENUE
Operator City PHOENIX
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85021
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 AXX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHX
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 8900
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --