Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taos, New Mexico 87571
Friday, December 23, 1983 12:53 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT A NEW FUEL SYSTEM HAD JUST RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED IN MIAMI, FL & HE FORGOT ABOUT THE NEW SYSTEM WHILE SWITCHING TANKS & ACCIDENTLY TURNED IT TO THE OFF POSITION. WHEN THE ENG QUIT HE REALIZED WHAT HE HAD DONE & SWITCHED BACK TO A FULL TANK. HE JUST HAD THE ENG RESTARTED WHEN THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AT THE 10,500 FT LEVEL OF A MOUNTAIN. A SMALL AMOUNT OF COCAINE & $19,200 IN CASH WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT. THE PLT HAD HELD A PRIVATE PLT'S CERTIFICATE WITH SINGLE & MULTI-ENG LAND RATINGS WHICH WAS REVOKED IN 1981 BECAUSE OF FAR VIOLATIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/23/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1253
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TAOS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87571
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1239 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID E33
Elevation of weather observation facility 8000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
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) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3161
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23480
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2004 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7933D
NTSB Number FTW84FA103
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model H35
Aircraft Series Identifier H35
Aircraft Serial Number D-5188
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL A. JOHNSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 465 UIDAS
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84115
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 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 PUB
Departure City PUEBLO
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SLC
Destination City SALT LAKE CITY
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --