Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Clines Corners, New Mexico 87070
Wednesday, November 12, 2014 17:35 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On November 12, 2014, at 1735 (all times are mountain standard time), a Mooney M20K airplane, N231JF, collided with the terrain in Clines Corners, New Mexico. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post impact fire. The airplane was registered to KI Aircraft LLC and was being operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), Amarillo, Texas, at 1616. The intended destination for the flight was the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona.
According to the fixed base operator (FBO) in AMA, the pilot landed his airplane and taxied to the FBO around 1525. The pilot instructed the line personnel to "top off" the airplane, which was subsequently filled with 20.9 gallons of 100 low lead fuel. The FBO personnel reported there was a "light blowing sleet" at the time, but that the airplane was free of any ice. The pilot left to eat and when he returned, he asked the customer service representative (CSR) if she knew of any airplanes at their facility that had just come in from or were leaving for Phoenix. The CSR replied that there were none. The pilot then struck up a conversation with two business jet pilots who were in the lobby. The FBO manager stated he spoke with the pilot and because the weather was deteriorating, he offered to put the pilot's airplane in a heated hangar for the night. The pilot stated he was not staying the night and that he would be departing shortly. Soon thereafter, the pilot left the FBO, started his airplane, and departed.
One of the corporate jet pilots recalled the accident pilot walking in the FBO and asking if anyone was going to Phoenix. The accident pilot then asked him if he knew the altitudes of the ceiling and cloud tops. The accident pilot explained that he was trying to get to Phoenix and he was wondering if the cloud layer was thin enough for him to get through it. The business pilot stated that he had arrived on a flight from the east and that when they were on top of the clouds, the cloud layer extended as far as they could see. He also informed the pilot that they encountered rime and clear ice on their descent into AMA from the east. The accident pilot then questioned himself out loud as to whether or not he would be able to stay below the weather. They discussed the mountains east of Albuquerque. The accident pilot then opened his "tablet" and looked at a satellite image pointing out where he thought the cloud layer ended east of Santa Rosa, New Mexico. The business pilot told the accident pilot that a weather briefer would be able to give him information regarding the ceilings heights along his route. The accident pilot thanked him and departed the FBO.
FBO personnel stated that after departing the FBO, the pilot performed an engine run-up and contacted air traffic control for his taxi clearance. After takeoff, the pilot was receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight following from air traffic control. While in contact with the Albuquerque air route traffic control center (ZAB) the pilot made an inquiry about icing in the area and requested information regarding the tops of the cloud layer. The pilot mentioned that he might have to turn around and return to AMA. The controller offered the pilot several other airports in the area, but the pilot continued westbound. The controller questioned the pilot regarding the weather conditions and asked if he was familiar with the terrain. The pilot reported that he was familiar with the terrain and that he was below the clouds. The pilot then stated that he was going to fly to the Moriarty Airport (OEO), Moriarty, New Mexico, which was about 28 miles west of his position.
Radar contact and communication with the airplane was lost about 1735. The wreckage was located in a field 7 ½ miles north of Clines Corners, New Mexico.
The Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF) Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) was located about 41 miles northwest of the accident site. At 1733, the SAF ASOS recorded weather conditions as: wind from 140 degrees at 23 knots gusting to 30 knots; visibility 10 miles; broken clouds at 1,500 feet above ground level (agl); temperature minus 7 degrees Celsius; dew point minus 14 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.12 inches of mercury.
The Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ) ASOS was located about 51 miles west of the accident site. At 1752, the ABQ ASOS recorded weather conditions as: wind from 080 degrees at 25 knots; visibility 10 miles; few clouds at 4,000 feet agl, few clouds at 8,000 feet agl; temperature 0 degrees Celsius; dew point minus 11 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury.
A captain from the Santa Fe County Fire Department stated that it began to snow heavily, the wind was gusting, and the visibility decreased as he was responding to the accident scene shortly after the accident occurred.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/12/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1735 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Clines Corners |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 87070 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 350634N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1054315W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| 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 | 1733 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 330 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SAF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6348 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 41 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 23 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 30 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.12 |
| 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) | -- |
| 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 | Nov 18 2014 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sulp |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N231JF |
| NTSB Number | CEN15FA044 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | MOONEY AIRCRAFT CORP. |
| Aircraft Model | M20K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-0075 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | KI Aircraft LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1155 |
| Aircraft Owner City | BOULDER |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 803061155 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Ralph Henderson |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 1155 |
| Operator City | BOULDER |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 803061155 |
| 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 | AMA |
| Departure City | Amarillo |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1736 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Phoenix |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 18 2014 1:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | sulp |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |