Ruidoso Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ruidoso Muni, New Mexico
Thursday, April 15, 1982 17:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 18 WITH 4 OCCUPANTS AND ABOUT 98 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD. THE WIND WAS FROM 210 DEG AT 8, GUSTING 20 KTS, THE PRESSURE ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 8900 FT AND MODERATE TURBULENCE WAS REPORTED. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A LONGER THAN NORMAL TAKEOFF ROLL AND NEVER GAINED MUCH ALTITUDE. A LEFT TURN WAS MADE JUST SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY WHILE STILL AT A VERY LOW ALTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES IN A WOODED AREA. ABOUT 365 FT PAST THE FIRST CONTACT WITH THE TREES, THE PLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A VISUAL OBSEVATION OF THE SPARK PLUGS REVEALED INDICATIONS OF A RICH MIXTURE AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE FULL RICH POSITION. THE AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 6911 FT, THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS REPORTED TO BE 7133 FT IN THE VICINITY OF HILLY/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE CONFIGURATION OF THE GEAR AND FLAPS AFTER LIFT-OFF WAS NOT VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/15/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City RUIDOSO MUNI
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport RUIDOSO MUNICIPAL
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 63
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1719
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4026Q
NTSB Number FTW82FQA16
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7780324
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
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 0
Airframe Hours 943
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CURTIS LEWIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 5447
Aircraft Owner City NORMAN
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73070
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CURTIS LEWIS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 5447
Operator City NORMAN
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73070
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City RUIDOSO MUNI
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1738
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City AMARILLO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 5500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --