Cavern City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
Wednesday, May 12, 1982 21:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 1/2 MI SW OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 32L. THE RWY HAD BEEN ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF WITH THE ACFT MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO AN AREA THAT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS. IT WAS A VERY DARK NIGHT WITH AN INDISTIGUISHABLE HORIZON SOUTHWESTWARD TOWARD THE HIGHER MOUNTAINS. THERE WERE TWO BRIGHTLY LIT SOFTBALL COMPLEXES LOCATED TO THE NORTH TOWARD THE CITY. A WEATHER STUDY INDICATED PROBABLE MODERATE TO SEVERE TURBULENCE & UP & DOWN DRAFTS BELOW 7,000 FT MSL, & LIGHT TO MODERATE WIND SHEAR FROM THE SURFACE UP TO 300 FT AGL. A WITNESS WHO SAW THE FIREBALL STATED SHE HAD LOST CONTROL OF HER CAR BECAUSE A GUST OF WIND PUSHED HER CAR INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1982
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88220
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport CAVERN CITY
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 Unknown
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 65
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 21
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3327
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 N9789S
NTSB Number FTW82FA173
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GULFSTREAM AMERICAN
Aircraft Model 980(695)
Aircraft Series Identifier 980(695)
Aircraft Serial Number 95037
Certified Max Gross Weight 10375
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 460
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SWEETWATER DRILLING COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1669
Aircraft Owner City SWEETWATER
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79556
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STANLEY EUGENE WWAUGH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8700 N.W. 86TH PLACE
Operator City OKLAHOMA CITY
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73132
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code C
Destination City OKLAHOMA CITY
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --