Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taos, New Mexico 87571
Saturday, January 31, 1987 12:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO IMC WX; SNOW, FOG, FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND LOW VISIBILITY, IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A TRAIL DUE TO LOWERING VISIBILITY, 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE DESTINATION ARPT. THE TERRAIN WAS ROUGH AND THE ACFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1210
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TAOS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87571
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1139 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID E23
Elevation of weather observation facility 7091
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 1
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 274
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 31 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33262
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6913L
NTSB Number DEN87LA049
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-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8590053
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 23 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 563
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C & S AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 431 MCCORMICK DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LAKE FOREST
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60045
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WAUKEGAN AERO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3550 N. MCAREE RD.
Operator City WAUKEGAN
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60087
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 LAA
Departure City LAMAR
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 925
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SKX
Destination City TAOS
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 10:35AM
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 --