Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Truth Or Conseq, New Mexico 87901
Friday, October 7, 2005 12:08 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot obtained a weather briefing, filed a VFR flight plan, and took off at 1108. When he failed to close his flight plan, an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued. Recorded radar data captured a VFR target proceeding south from the airport until it turned to a southwest heading and initiated a climb to 7,500 feet. Radar contact was lost at 1208. The nearest weather reporting station, located 34 n.m. east-northeast of the accident site and at an elevation of 4,853 feet msl, reported a ceiling of 2,500 feet agl (above ground level), or 7,353 msl. A military helicopter crew also filed a pilot report (PIREP), reporting mountain top obscuration in the area. The wreckage was found 2 days later at an elevation of 8,100 feet msl near the point where radar contact was lost.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's attempt to fly VFR into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the reported low ceiling and mountain obscuration, resulting in the pilot being unable to maintain a visual lookout.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1208
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Truth or Conseq
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87901
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 330563N
Event Location Longitude 1074817W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID TCS
Elevation of weather observation facility 4853
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19494
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albuquerque, New Mexico

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55910
NTSB Number DEN06LA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7325528
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jan 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2207
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Kevin Elgar
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Albuquerque
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87109
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 AEG
Departure City Albuquerque
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1108
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code E95
Destination City Benson
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2006 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --