20000625014539A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172H · Angel Fire, NM · June 25, 2000

Date: June 25, 2000 · 19:00 local
Place: Angel Fire, NM
Airport: Angel Fire Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2526L
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN00FA119
Reported as: Cessna 172H
Reported engine: Continental O300D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 135 total

N2526LRegistration cancelled Nov 2, 2000 · Cessna 172HS/N 17255726 Airframe modelCessna 172H

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.

(-23) On June 25, 2000, a Cessna 172H, N2526L departed the Angel Fire Airport in Angel Fire, NM. At approx. 1900 MDT, shortly after takeoff, the a/c collided with trees during climb, crashed and burned. The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, another passenger exited the a/c with minor injuries. A/c was demolished. (.4)the airplane took off and made two complete climbing circuits of the airport before proceeding south towards rising terrain. A lineman said he 'could tell they were having trouble gaining altitude,' and watched as the airplane disappeared behind trees south of town near a golf course. A witness said the airplane came over his house at low altitude, clipped trees, spun around, hit the roadway, and caught Fire. The accident site was 4.2 miles south of the airport. The difference between the accident site elevation and the airport elevation is 353 feet. Density altitude was calculated at 11,197 feet MSL. The airplane weighed an estimated 1,987 pounds.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JUNE 25, 2000, A CESSNA 172H, N2526L DEPARTED THE ANGEL FIRE AIRPORT IN ANGEL FIRE, NM. AT APPROX. 1900 MDT, SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE A/C COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING CLIMB, CRASHED AND BURNED. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED, ANOTHER PASSENGER EXITED THE A/C WITH MINOR INJURIES. A/C WAS DEMOLISHED. (.4)THE AIRPLANE TOOK OFF AND MADE TWO COMPLETE CLIMBING CIRCUITS OF THE AIRPORT BEFORE PROCEEDING SOUTH TOWARDS RISING TERRAIN. A LINEMAN SAID HE 'COULD TELL THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GAINING ALTITUDE,' AND WATCHED AS THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED BEHIND TREES SOUTH OF TOWN NEAR A GOLF COURSE. A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE CAME OVER HIS HOUSE AT LOW ALTITUDE, CLIPPED TREES, SPUN AROUND, HIT THE ROADWAY, AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 4.2 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION AND THE AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 353 FEET. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED AT 11,197 FEET MSL. THE AIRPLANE WEIGHED AN ESTIMATED 1,987 POUNDS.

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 DEN00FA119Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportAngel Fire, NMThe pilot's improper inflight decision to prematurely attempt a climb towards rising terrain before sufficient altitude had been attained that would assure adequate obstacle clearance. Factors were high density altitude and trees.Jun 26, 2000 · Destroyed