Reserve Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reserve, New Mexico 87830
Wednesday, June 24, 1987 16:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS FERRYING HIS ACFT FROM RESERVE AIRPORT, NM, TO JEWITT MESA AIRPORT, APACHE CREEK, NM. THERE WAS A MATURE THUNDERSTORM OVER THE NORTHERN MOUNTAIN RIDGE PRODUCING WHAT ONE WITNESS DESCRIBED AS WINDS 'REALLY BLOWING HARD.' SHE SAID SHE SAW THE ACFT CLIMB OVER THE TOPS OF THE TREES AND IT'S 'WINGS WERE WOBBLING.' ANOTHER WITNESS, DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY PARALLEL TO THE RWY, SAID HE PACED THE ACFT AS IT TOOK OFF ON RWY 06. HE SAID THE ACFT LIFTED OFF JUST BEYOND THE PARKING RAMP AND CLIMBED TO AN ESTIMATED 300 FT ALTITUDE. IT THEN BANKED TO THE LEFT, 'ITS WINGS BECAME VERTICAL AND THEN ITS NOSE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED.' POST-CRASH EXAM OF ACFT DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF AIRFRAME, ENG, PROP, OR FLT CONTROL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION OF THE PLT DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF INCAPACITATION OR IMPAIRMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RESERVE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87830
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RESERVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID Q16
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 6360
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 158
Weather Observation Facility ID SVC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5443
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 72
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9500
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) 1082
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 24 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1818
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34274
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:28PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6060X
NTSB Number DEN87FA159
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20A
Aircraft Series Identifier M20A
Aircraft Serial Number 1686
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 11 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 200
Airframe Hours 3109
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID A. PIEARCY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 726 SHELL
Aircraft Owner City MIDLAND
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79705
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1640
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Q13
Destination City APACHE CREEK
Destination State NM
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 6
Runway Length 4800
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --