# Accident 20000312004079A: Piper PA18150, Belen, NM, March 12, 2000 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 12, 2000, 16:30 local time - Place: Belen, NM - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.6500° N, 106.7701° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6500&lon=-106.7701&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4069Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4069Z) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-18-150 (registry code 7101828, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA18150 - Reported engine: LYC O320A2A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 56 total, 52 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA056) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000312004079A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.23) ON MARCH 13, 2000 AT 1630 MST, N4069Z, A PIPER PA-18-150, OWNED BY S&P AVIATION LLC, PO BOX 11249, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87192-0249, IMPACT SLOPING TERRAIN FOLLOWING A REPORTED LOSS OF POWER AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM AN UNIMPROVED AREA NORTH WEST OF BELEN, NM. THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE UNINJURIED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. (.4)ON MARCH 12, 2000, APPROXIMATELY 1630 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-18-150, N4069Z, OPERATED BY S&P AVIATION, LLC., WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF BELEN, NEW MEXICO. THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT TOLD AN FAA INSPECTOR THAT HE HAD RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT'S LICENSE EARLIER THAT MORNING, AND HE WAS TAKING HIS BROTHER FOR A RIDE. IN HIS ACCIDENT REPORT, HE SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER HE LIFTED OFF FROM AN ABANDONED 800-FOOT LONG AIRSTRIP USING A SHORT-FIELD TAKEOFF TECHNIQUE (FULL FLAPS), THE ENGINE BEGAN LOSING POWER, DROPPING ABOUT 500 TO 700 RMP (REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE). WHEN HE LEVELED OFFF TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, THE ENGINE "SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY". BECAUSE FLAPS WERE STILL EXTENDED AND AIRSPEED IN THE FLARE WAS LOW, THE AIRPLANE "KEPT COMING DOWN". A HARD LANDING ENSUED, SHEERING OFF THE LANDING GEAR AND BENDIGN THE ENGINE MOUNTS AND PROPELLER. THE FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDNET SITE. HE FOUND THE MIXTURE CONTROL IN THE FULL RICH POSITION. HIS EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED A TAIL WHEEL STRIKE MARK IN THE DIRT 168 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. JUST BEYOND WERE TOW DIRT BERMS THAT HAD BEEN STRUCK BY THE AIRPLANE'S MAIN LANDING GEAR. ON JUNE 21, THE FAA INSPECTOR PARTIFLLY DISASSEMBLED AND INSPECTED THE ENGINE. HE FOUND THE NO. 2 CYLINDER COMPRESSION RATIO TO BE 45/80, DUE TO EXHAUST BLOW-BY. THERE WAS ALSO A THIN LAYER OF CARBON ON THE EXHAUST VALVE SEAT. THE BOTTTOM NO. 4 SPARK PLUG WAS 20 TO 30% LEAD FOULED, WAS WET WITH OIL, AND WOULD NOT FIRE. AFTER FLEANING, PLUG FIRED NORMALLY. IN HIS REPORT, THE INSPECTOR SAID HE FOUND NOTHING "THAT WOULD PROHIBIT THE ENGINE FROM RUNNIGN IN AN 'AS IN' CONDITION. ## 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 DEN00LA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA056), Mar 12, 2000: Piper PA-18-150 (N4069Z), Belen, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to low cylinder compression from an open exhaust valve, and the pilot's failure to lean the fuel mixture. ## Other reports on N4069Z (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19921108056619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921108056619A), Nov 8, 1992: Piper PA18150 (N4069Z), Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. Student lost direction control landing. CFI told student to hit brake. He did swerved dragged wing. Groundlooped. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.