Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ruidoso, New Mexico 88345
Saturday, August 5, 1989 15:58 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N9183H HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM AN 8100 X 100 FT ASPHALT RWY WHERE THE ELEV IS 6811 FT MSL. THERE WAS A RIGHT QUARTERING HEADWIND AT 10 KTS AND THE TEMP WAS 81 DEG F. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 9400 FT. THE PLT SAID HE LEANED THE MIXTURE AT 2000 RPM DURING THE RUNUP AND AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE RPM, AIRSPEED, AND ALTITUDE. THE PLT SAID HE FIRST ENRICHED THE MIXTURE AND THEN LEANED IT OUT AGAIN. HE THEN APPLIED CARB HEAT AS THE RPM HAD DECREASED TO 1900. WHEN THE RPM REACHED 1800, THE PLT DECIDED AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING WAS INEVITABLE. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO TREES 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE SOUTH END OF THE RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND CARBURETOR HEAT DURING A TAKEOFF IN HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1558
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RUIDOSO
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88345
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 6811
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 6811
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9400
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1290
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39586
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 N9183H
NTSB Number DEN89LA187
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 17265998
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 Feb 18 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 4368
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KELLEY, ROBERT V
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2604 POLO DURA DR. 154
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANGELO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76904
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KELLEY, ROBERT V.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2604 PALO DURO DRIVE
Operator City SAN ANGELO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76904
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 SSB
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SJT
Destination City SAN ANGELO
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 --