Reserve Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reserve, New Mexico 87830
Saturday, May 11, 1985 11:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALT OF APRX 100 FT AGL, THE ACFT STOPPED CLIMBING AND STARTED DESCENDING. UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT, THE PLT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD. PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CONTACTED THE TOP OF A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND THE MAIN AND NOSE GEARS COLLAPSED ON LANDING. DENSITY ALT AT TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7900 FT. THE MAX DENSITY ALT LISTED ON THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE VS DENSITY ALT CHART IN THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK IS 7000 FT. THE PLT STATED HE BELIEVED EITHER A DOWNDRAFT OR WIND SHEAR WAS ENCOUNTERED AFTER TAKEOFF, HOWEVER, HE REPORTED A WIND VELOCITY OF 8 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/11/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RESERVE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87830
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 5
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 210
Airport Elevation 6360
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1120
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7900
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) 291
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 11 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27642
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7439J
NTSB Number DEN85LA132
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-28R-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-30784
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Mar 15 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2450
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD DEKKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6741 N. POMONA
Aircraft Owner City TUCSON
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City TUCSON
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4800
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --