Coronado Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Sunday, October 15, 1989 13:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKEOFF FROM A 4010 FT RWY AT AN ELEVATION OF 5280 FT, THE PLT DID NOT USE 10 DEG OF FLAPS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE FLT MANUAL. HE SAID LIFT-OFF WAS AT 90 KTS & HE RAISED THE LANDING GEAR, BUT AFTER THE ACFT CLEARED TREES, HE NOTED THE SPEED WAS STILL AT 90 KTS. THE PLANE STOPPED CLIMBING & SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A POWER LINE. IT THEN SETTLED TO THE GROUND WITH THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A BACKUP GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND THE GEAR BELOW A GIVEN SPEED, EXCEPT WHEN THE OVERRIDE FUNCTION WAS SELECTED. THE AUTOMATIC EXTENSION SPEED WAS 81 KTS AT SEA LEVEL, BUT INCREASED IN A STRAIGHT LINE VARIATION TO 100 KTS AT 10,000 FT. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE AIRPORT WAS ABOUT 7000 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, HIS FAILURE TO USE THE RECOMMENDED FLAP EXTENSION, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AUTOMATIC GEAR EXTENSION SPEED OR USE THE OVERRIDE FEATURE, WHICH ALLOWED THE GEAR TO EXTEND (PRECLUDING THE ABILITY TO CLIMB), AND THE POWER LINE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1315
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 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CORONADO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4AC
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 5280
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5200
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1169
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39320
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3166Q
NTSB Number DEN90LA010
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7780296
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 21 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2974
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANK ARLOTTI
Aircraft Owner Street Address 23007 DEVALLE
Aircraft Owner City WOODLAND HILLS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91364
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALPINE FLIGHT CENTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4233 N. SANTA ANITANE
Operator City ELMONTE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91734
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 4AC
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EMT
Destination City EL MONTE
Destination State CA
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 17
Runway Length 4010
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --