Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103
Wednesday, April 25, 1984 14:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT HAD RECENTLY BEEN SOLD & WAS BEING FERRIED TO THE BUYER IN OKLAHOMA. AFTER A REFUELING STOP AT THE CORONADO ARPT, THE PLT TOOK OFF & PROCEEDED NORTHEAST TO AVOID ROTOR CLOUDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS ABOUT 8 MI EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE, NM. THE MOUNTAINS ARE ORIENTED NORTH & SOUTH & EXTEND ABOUT 18 MI NORTH OF ALBUQUERQUE. AFTER GOING AROUND THE NORTH END OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE PLT TURNED SOUTHEAST. HE WAS FLYING AT APRX 1500 FT AGL WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE & DOWNDRAFTS OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. THE PLT REVERSED COURSE & ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO CORONADO ARPT. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENTERED MORE 'TURBULENCE & SINK' & THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN HIS ALTITUDE. THE ACFT DESCENDED TO TREETOP HEIGHT, HIT THE TOP OF A SMALL TREE & THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN AN AREA OF BRUSH. THE 1416 MST WIND AT ALBUQUERQUE WAS FROM 220 DEG AT 30 GUSTING TO 58 KTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/25/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87103
Event Date Year 1984
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1416 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 58
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 9000
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 767
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24472
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 N2371Y
NTSB Number DEN84LA138
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-36-375
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-36-375
Aircraft Serial Number 36-8102003
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 280
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN EVERETT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5717 N 64TH AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City GLENDALE
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 4AC
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City PRYOR
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --