Sedona Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sedona, Arizona 86336
Sunday, July 23, 1989 17:01 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM AN AIRPORT WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,600'. HE LEANED THE ENGINES DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND BELIEVES HE LEANED THE LEFT ENGINE EXCESSIVELY. THE LEFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND RAN OFF THE END INTO ROUGH TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT IMPROPERLY LEANING THE FUEL MIXTURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE AND THE DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1701
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SEDONA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86336
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 SEDONA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SEZ
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 4827
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4300
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8600
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) 601
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40111
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:52PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7454N
NTSB Number LAX89LA244
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model BE58
Aircraft Series Identifier BE58
Aircraft Serial Number TC-1123
Certified Max Gross Weight 4880
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GRIFFIN, GENE L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HERY BOX 39
Aircraft Owner City OLTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79064
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SEZ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAS
Destination City LAS VEGAS
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 21
Runway Length 5142
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --