Santa Fe Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Sunday, August 13, 1989 13:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LEANED THE MIXTURE PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 9300 FT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND THE PILOT INCREASED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON ROUGH, DESERT TERRAIN. THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL FOR THIS AIRCRAFT SPECIFIED THAT TAKEOFF SHOULD BE MADE WITH THE MIXTURE SET AT FULL RICH, REGARDLESS OF THE ALTITUDE, SINCE 'THE ENGINE-DRIVEN ALTITUDE COMPENSATING FUEL PUMP WILL AUTOMATICALLY LEAN ENGINE MIXTURE.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL BY THE PILOT DURING TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. ROUGH/UNEVEN TERRAIN CONTRIBUTED TO THE AIRCRAFT DAMAGE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SANTA FE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87501
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 SANTA FE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAF
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 6344
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1329 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID SAF
Elevation of weather observation facility 6344
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
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) 9300
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) 860
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40372
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 N3077X
NTSB Number DEN89LA194
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 A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-2379
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 13 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 186
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HENRY, HUNTER W., JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1204 BROOKS HOLLOW ROAD
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78734
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HENRY, HUNTER W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1204 BROOKS HOLLOW RD
Operator City AUSTIN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 78734
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SAF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABQ
Destination City ALBUQUERQUE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 6304
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --