Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87500
Thursday, April 18, 1985 22:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO PERSONS, NEITHER RATED AS PLTS, TOOK THE ACFT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OR CONSENT OF THE OPERATOR OR ARPT OFFICIALS. THEY TOOK OFF AT NIGHT, & AFTER A SHORT TIME, RETURNED TO THE ARPT TO LAND. DURING AN ATTEMPTED LANDING, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, BOUNCED TWICE, THEN DEPARTED TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 3 MI WEST NORTHWEST OF THE ARPT, BUT IT WAS NOT FND UNTIL LATE ON THE MORNING OF 4/20/85. IMPACT OCCURRED NEAR A HIGH TENSION POWER LINE WHILE AT HIGH SPEED IN A NOSE LOW, SLIGHTLY RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE & ON A HDG OF 140 DEG. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ACFT DID NOT COLLIDE WITH THE WIRES. BOTH OCCUPANTS HAD BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE OPERATOR AS LINE BOYS. ONE WAS STILL EMPLOYED & HAD ACCESS TO THE OFFICE. BOTH HAD BEEN DRINKING BEER FOR SOME TIME PRIOR TO THE FLT. TOX SHECKS SHOWED THE L FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT HAD AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.239%; THE R FRONT OCCUPANT HAD A LVL OF 0.184%.NEITHER OCCUPANT HAD USED THE AVAILABLE SEAT BELT OR SHOULDER HARNESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2200
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SANTA FE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87500
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2147 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
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 MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1315
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27363
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N52457
NTSB Number DEN85FA118
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 172 P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172 P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274531
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Mar 30 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROSS & SYLVIAL PALMER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 38 VERANO LOOP-EL DORADO
Aircraft Owner City SANTA FE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SANTA FE AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 15370
Operator City SANTA FE
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 940
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --