Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Animas, New Mexico 88020
Sunday, December 26, 1982 10:35 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT DEPARTED AGUE PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO WITH NO FLT PLAN ON A FLT TO JANOS, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO. DRG DEPARTURE, THE PLT'S SON OBSERVED A DARK THREATENING CLOUD BANK IN THE DIRECTION OF FLT NEAR A MTN RANGE. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS BEGUN WHICH WAS EXTENDED ON THE US SIDE OF THE BORDER. ON 1/15/82, A RANCHER FOUND THE WRECKAGE WHICH WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA EXCEEDING 1 MI IN LENGTH. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ASSEMBLY, RIGHT WING, ABOUT 1/2 OF THE LEFT WING AND WINDSCREEN HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT WOULD INDICATE A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE, PROPELLER OR ACCESSORIES, EXCEPT FOR SEPARATED COMPONENTS WHICH SHOWED EVIDENCE OF IN-FLT PLT INDUCED OVERLOADS. LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED A SEVERE SNOW STORM WITH HEAVY WET SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT RATED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. DRG TKOF, THE ACFT WAS APRX 547 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT, CG APRX 2 IN BEHIND AFT LIMIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/26/1982
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1035
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ANIMAS
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88020
Event Date Year 1982
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1056
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID DOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 7
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 7
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6014
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 Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number XAHIJ
NTSB Number FTW83FA087
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Unknown
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 327840020
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 2203
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name IGNACIA VALENZUELA
Aircraft Owner Street Address CALLE LA AVE. 9 #106
Aircraft Owner City AGUA PRIETA
Aircraft Owner State MX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name IGNACIA VALENZUELA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address CALLE LA AVE. 9 #106
Operator City AGUA PRIETA
Operator State MX
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City AGUA PRIETA
Departure State MX
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City JANOS
Destination State MX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --