20041003025769A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna A185E · Luna, NM · October 3, 2004

Date: October 3, 2004 · 09:30 local
Place: Luna, NM
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5964
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN05FA003
Reported as: Cessna A185E
Reported engine: Continental IO520D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 27,598 total1,900 in this make and model26 in the last 90 days

N5964Registration cancelled Sep 13, 2013 · Cessna A185ES/N 185-1153 Airframe modelCessna A185E

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 October 3, 2004, at approximately 0930 MDT a Cessna 185, N5964 registered to thomas raybourn collided with trees after takeoff from a private airstrip near Luna, NM, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was destroyed and the certificated air line transport pilot was fatally injured. The origin of the flight is unknown.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 3, 2004, AT APPROXIMATELY 0930 MDT A CESSNA 185, N5964 REGISTERED TO THOMAS RAYBOURN COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR LUNA, NM, WHILE ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE CERTIFICATED AIR LINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FLIGHT IS UNKNOWN.

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 DEN05FA003Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportLuna, NMthe pilot's improper use of the mixture control, his failure to maintain clearance from the trees, and his improper preflight planning resulting in his taking off into a canyon and subsequently impacting the trees and terrain. Factors contributing to the…Oct 3, 2004 · Destroyed