El Paso International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Sunday, August 7, 1983 11:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO PLTS & 2 PASSENGERS DEPARTED SAN ANGELO, TX, ON A X-COUNTRY FLT, ONE OF THE PLTS, WHO HAD 95 HRS OF FLYING TIME, WAS THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) FOR THE 1ST LEG OF THE X-COUNTRY TO EL PASO, TX. ON THE NEXT LEG, THE OTHER PLT ASSUMED DUTIES AS PIC & SIGNED THE FLT PLAN. DURING AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF WITH 5600 FT REMAINING, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF AFTER ROLLING AN ESTMATED 1500 FT. IT THEN CLIMBED TO AN ESTIMATED MAX ALT OF ABOUT 300 FT. THE PLT ACCEPTED A TURN TO 120 DEG TO MAKE WAY FOR A DEPARTING JET. AFTER STARTING THE TURN, THE ACFT SUDDENLY DROPPED, LOSING ABOUT 1/3 OF ITS ALT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT IT CLIMBED & DROPPED 2 MORE TIMES. ON THE LOST TIME, IT CRASHED IN THE DESERT IN A STEEP DESCENT. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE PROPS HAD EVIDENCE OF HI ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. THE DENSITY ALT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 6424 FT. TOWER PERSONNEL DESCRIBED THE ACFT AS BEING NEAR ITS STALL SPEED FROM LIFT-OFF UNTIL IT CRASHED. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 38 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79925
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL PASO INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 80
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1129 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 256
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3956
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6424
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2547
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22860
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 N5259F
NTSB Number FTW83FA362
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172F
Aircraft Series Identifier 172F
Aircraft Serial Number 17253371
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name U.S. AIR FORCE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3480 AGB/SSY
Aircraft Owner City GOODFELLOW
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76908
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name U S AIR FORCE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3480 ABG/SSY
Operator City GOODFELLOW AFB
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76908
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 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PEQ
Destination City PECOS
Destination State TX
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 --