N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nageezi, New Mexico 87037
Thursday, May 30, 2002 16:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The cross-country flight departed, made one fuel stop, and was en route to its second fuel stop when the pilot deviated from the planned route due to mountainous terrain. The planned route followed an interstate highway. The pilot thought he had rejoined his planned route of flight; however, he began following the wrong interstate highway. The flight traveled 70 miles, and when the pilot did not arrive at his next planned fuel stop, he decided to execute a precautionary landing to a dirt strip due to low fuel. The airplane landed, and the right wing contacted a barbed wire fence 3/4 of the way down the airstrip. The pilot added that when he identified the fence it was too late to execute a go-around, and the dirt was too loose to stop prior to the fence.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to select a suitable landing site, which resulted in a collision with a fence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Nageezi
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87037
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361606N
Event Location Longitude 1074447W
Event Location Airport N/A
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID FMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5506
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8980
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12526
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 31 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2002 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albuquerque, New Mexico

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9051D
NTSB Number FTW02LA166
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6191
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 2061.5
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Craig S. Humes
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 4564
Aircraft Owner City Page
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86040
Operator is an individual? No
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 None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 GUY
Departure City Guymon
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GUP
Destination City Gallup
Destination State NM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Oct 24 2002 9:38AM
User who most recently changed record SNYG
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --