# Accident 19970203001189A: Aronca 65TC, Moriarty, NM, February 3, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 3, 1997, 16:30 local time
- Place: Moriarty, NM
- Airport: Moriarty Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0000° N, 106.0398° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0000&lon=-106.0398&mi=10
- Aircraft: N31794, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N31794-2012-09-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aeronca 65-TC (registry code 0190902, https://openairdocs.org/model/aeronca-65-tc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ARONCA 65TC
- Reported engine: CONT A658
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 949 total, 5 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97FA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97FA099) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970203001189A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 26 (ELEVATION 6,201 FT, DENSITY ALTITUDE 7,000 FT) WITH WINDS FROM THE WNW AT 10 KNOTS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS WITH MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE NEXT MORNING, AN INSTRUCTOR SPOTTED THE ACCIDENT SITE 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE WITH THE EMPENNAGE FOLDED AND TWISTED TO THE RIGHT. NO PREIMPACT DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED ENGINE AND PROPELLER OPERATION. THE ELEVATOR BELLCRANK WAS PARTIALLY FRACTURED AND THE ELEVATOR WAS JAMMED IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. NTSB METALLURGISTS REPORTED THAT THE BELLCRANK SHOWED ONLY SIGNS OF OVERSTRESS AND NO SIGNS OF FATIGUE. THE PILOT HAD 4.5 HRS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL FINDINGS WERE: 0.293 UG/ML FLUOXETINE (PRESCRIPTION ANTIDEPRESSANT) AND 0.333 UG/ML NORFLUOXETINE (FLUOXETINE METABOLITE) IN BLOOD, NORDIAZEPAM IN BLOOD AND URINE, AND OXAZEPAM AND TEMAZEPAM IN URINE. NORDIAZEPAM, OXAZEPAM AND TEMAZEPAM ARE METABOLITES OF DIAZEPAM (VALIUM). NONE OF THE DRUGS ARE APPROVED BY THE FAA FOR USE WHILE FLYING. (-23) AIRCRAFT FUELED AT 0E0 APPROX. 16:00 MST - 02/03/97. TAKEOFF SHORTLY                       THEREAFTER. WRECKAGE SIGHTED NEXT DAY AT APPROX 11:30 AM. AIRCRAFT STRUCK GROUND IN EXTREME NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF WRECKAGE REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES TO/WITH AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (I.A. FLIGHT CONTROLS, POWERPLANT, MAGNETOS, PROP, ENGINE CONTROLS, TRIM, ETC.). AIRCRAFT RECORDS, REGISTRATION, AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE MISSING. PILOT INFORMATION (TOTAL HOURS, ETC.) UNAVAILABLE. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 26. WRECKAGE LOCATED APPROX 1/2 MILE DUE SOUTH (NEARLY MID RUNWAY) POINTING AT APPROX 195 DEGREES. ALL INDICATIONS POINT TO A STALL/SPIN SITUATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97FA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97FA099), Feb 3, 1997: Aeronca 65-TC (N31794), Moriarty, NM, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maitain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin. Factors were gusty winds, turbulence, a high density altitude, and the pilot's lack of total experience in the make and…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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