19960428009459A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-180 · Carlsbad, NM · April 28, 1996

Date: April 28, 1996 · 16:30 local
Place: Carlsbad, NM
Airport: Cavern City Air Trml
Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7256P
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW96LA187
Reported as: Piper PA24180
Reported engine: Lycoming O360A1D
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,100 total524 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days

N7256PRegistration cancelled Feb 7, 1997 · Piper PA-24-180S/N 242432 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-180

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Collided with terrain on a go around. Blamed strong downdraft. Landed flat sandy area beyond end of runway. (-23) pilot stated that on final approach to cnm, rwy 32, he noticed that the wind direction had changed and he decided to do a go around to rwy 3. As he turned for rwy 3, the aircraft started to lose altitude. He applied full power but still could not maintain altitude and then decided to land in open field close to airport. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. No injuries to pilot and three pax.

As the FAA filed it

COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN ON A GO AROUND. BLAMED STRONG DOWNDRAFT. LANDED FLAT SANDY AREA BEYOND END OF RUNWAY. (-23) PILOT STATED THAT ON FINAL APPROACH TO CNM, RWY 32, HE NOTICED THAT THE WIND DIRECTION HAD CHANGED AND HE DECIDED TO DO A GO AROUND TO RWY 3. AS HE TURNED FOR RWY 3, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE APPLIED FULL POWER BUT STILL COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND THEN DECIDED TO LAND IN OPEN FIELD CLOSE TO AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NO INJURIES TO PILOT AND THREE PAX.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW96LA187Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCarlsbad, NMThe pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors relating to the accident were: the sudden windshift and/or windshear.Apr 28, 1996 · Substantial damage