# Accident 20000625014539A: Cessna 172H, Angel Fire, NM, June 25, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 25, 2000, 19:00 local time
- Place: Angel Fire, NM
- Airport: Angel Fire Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.3904° N, 105.2694° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.3904&lon=-105.2694&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2526L, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2526L-2000-11-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172H (registry code 2072424, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172H
- Reported engine: CONT O300D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 135 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00FA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00FA119) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000625014539A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 DEN00FA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00FA119), Jun 26, 2000: Cessna 172H (N2526L), Angel Fire, NM, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

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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