Coronado Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tuesady, May 11, 1982 11:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BOTH OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE RATED PILOTS AND HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT. THEY WERE FERRYING THE PLANE FROM NEW YORK STATE TO CALIFORNIA. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, HE LIFTED OFF NEAR THE MID-POINT OF THE RUNWAY AND HELD A FLAT ATTITUDE TO GAIN AIRSPEED. HE FELT THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH CLIMB DEVELOPING TO GET OVER TREES AND TURNED LEFT 15 DEGREES. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PLANE TOOK OFF AT A RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED AND NEVER SEEMED TO ACCELERATE. AFTER TURNING, THE PLANE MUSHED INTO STEADILY RISING TERRAIN. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE CONTROLS REVEALED THAT THE FUEL PRIMER WAS IN AN UNLOCKED POSITION. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A RICH MIXTURE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 6800 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/11/1982
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
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 CORONADO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4CR
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1100
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
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 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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 65
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3176
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 N5648H
NTSB Number FTW82FQA19
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-16
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-16
Aircraft Serial Number 16-259
Certified Max Gross Weight 1525
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 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 25
Airframe Hours 1529
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES A. SWEET
Aircraft Owner Street Address 70 SMITH STREET
Aircraft Owner City EAST MORICHES
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 11940
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CHARLES A. SWEET
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 70 SMITH STREET
Operator City EAST MORICHES
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 11940
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 4CR
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City FLAGSTAFF
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 17
Runway Length 4020
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --