Animas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Durango, Colorado 81301
Monday, July 22, 1985 15:12 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO LANDING, THE UNICOM OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 10 TO 20 KTS & WAS GUSTY. ALSO, HE SAID THAT WHILE ON BASE LEG, HE ENCOUNTERED A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT. HE STATED THAT HE APPLIED PWR & RETRACTED THE FLAPS TO ARREST THE SINK RATE. HOWEVER, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE GROUND ABOUT 5 FT SHORT OF THE RWY, DAMAGED THE LANDING GEAR, COLLIDED WITH APCH/RWY LIGHTS & SLID ABOUT 170 ON ITS BELLY BEFORE COMING TO REST ON THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK WHICH WAS EMPTY. FUEL WAS STILL REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK. ALSO, THE PROP BORE EVIDENCE OF LITTLE OR NO ROTATION AT IMPACT. ABOUT 8 MI EAST-SOUTHEAST AT THE LA PLATA ARPT, THE 1455 MDT WIND WAS FROM 020 DEG AT 5 KTS. THE DENSITY ALT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 8478 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1512
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DURANGO
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81301
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANIMAS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5000
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 6690
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1455 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 108
Weather Observation Facility ID DRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 6685
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8478
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1517
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28892
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 N3866H
NTSB Number DEN85LA198
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20K
Aircraft Series Identifier M20K
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0447
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Jun 28 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 1250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOLT SHEET METAL, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 1347
Aircraft Owner City DURANGO
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81310
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SAF
Departure City SANTE FE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1420
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 1
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --