Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Sunday, August 6, 1989 10:56 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT FLEW INTO THE WEST FACE OF THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS AT ABOUT THE 9000 FT LEVEL. BEFORE THE COLLISION, THE STUDENT PILOT CONTACTED ALBUQUERQUE APCH CONTROL & STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING EASTBOUND OVER THE RIO GRANDE RIVER & WAS GOING INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS. HE REQUESTED THAT HIS FRIEND IN MISSOURI BE CALLED & PROVIDED THE PHONE NUMBER AS WELL AS SPELLING THE NAMES OF HIS FRIEND & HIMSELF. WHEN THE CONTROLLER INQUIRED ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, THE PLT DID NOT SPECIFY. LATER, A SUICIDE NOTE WAS FOUND AT THE PLT'S HOME & FRIENDS REPORTED HE HAD BEEN VERY DESPONDENT SINCE SEPARATION FROM HIS WIFE IN MARCH 1989.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT DELIBERATELY FLEW HIS AIRCRAFT INTO THE FACE OF A MOUNTAIN. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION OF THE PILOT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1056
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87106
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1035 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5280
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 12000
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1042
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39248
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64263
NTSB Number DEN89FA184
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17265136
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 26 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 46
Airframe Hours 1728
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBIN & VERNON L. KARY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 562 MINDORO DRIVE SE
Aircraft Owner City RIO RANCHO
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87124
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 No
Departure Airport Code 4AC
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Other
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --