Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gallup Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gallup, New Mexico 87301
Saturday, May 16, 2009 12:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and passenger departed in a single-engine, 85-horsepower airplane from an airport with a density altitude that was later calculated to be about 8,666 feet. When the airplane was approximately 300 feet above ground level, the airplane experienced a loss of lift. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot selected a dirt road as a possible landing site; however, the airplane impacted terrain before reaching the road. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot and passenger were able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the engine revealed no pre impact anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/16/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gallup |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 87301 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 353040N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1084721W |
| Event Location Airport | Gallup Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GUP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6472 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GUP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6472 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 0 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KGUP 161753Z AUTO VRB04KT 10SM CLR 24/00 A30 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25645 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 25 2009 5:42PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N94300 |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA302 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | ERCOUPE |
| Aircraft Model | 415-C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1523 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 15 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2265 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SMITH CURTIS S |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1127 CAMINO HERMOSA |
| Aircraft Owner City | CORRALES |
| Aircraft Owner State | NM |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 87048-8438 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SMITH CURTIS S |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 1127 CAMINO HERMOSA |
| Operator City | CORRALES |
| Operator State | NM |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 87048-8438 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | GUP |
| Departure City | Gallup |
| Departure State | NM |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | GUP |
| Destination City | Gallup |
| Destination State | NM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 25 2009 12:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lebt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |