Skyport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Wednesday, August 17, 1983 18:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD POSTPONED THE FLT DUE TO WX CONDITIONS. DURING A FLT FROM DEMING, NM TO WACO, TX, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED WITHIN THE BOUNDRIES OF A PRIVATE ARPT, NORTHWEST OF EL PASO, TX. IMPACT OCCURRED IN A STEEP LEFT BANK, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE DEGREE OF DISINTEGRATION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE ACFT WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED DURING IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE ACCIDENT HAD OCCURRED DURING THE LAST STAGES OF HURRICANE ALICA. ABOUT 12 MI AWAY, THE 1850 MDT WX AT EL PASO WAS, IN PART: CLEAR, VISIBILITY 70 MI, WIND 250 DEG AT 4 KTS. HOWEVER, CUMULONIMBUS BUILDUPS WERE REPORTED IN ALL QUADRANTS & A UH-1 PLT REPORTED RAINSHOWERS & MODERATE TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF THE CRASH SITE. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PLT'S MUSCLE TISSUE FLUID SHOWED A CONCENTRATION OF 127MG% (.127%) ALCOHOL. THE PLT HAD VISION IN ONLY 1 EYE & WAS REQUIRED TO PERFORM A TEST OF DEMONSTRATED ABILITY ON EACH RENEWAL OF HIS MED CERT, BUT HE HAD FAILED TO DO SO; THEREFORE, HIS MED CERT WAS INVALID.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1800
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 SKYPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1850
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2614
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22919
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8193Q
NTSB Number FTW83FA384
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERONAUTICS INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P O BOX 5760
Operator City ROSWELL
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 88201
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DMN
Departure City DEMING
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ACT
Destination City WACO
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 --