# Accident 20140319002329A: Piper PA-28R-201, Ruidoso, NM, March 19, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 19, 2014, 17:30 local time
- Place: Ruidoso, NM
- Airport: Sierra Blanca Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.4656° N, 105.5486° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4656&lon=-105.5486&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3398M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3398M-2018-01-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-201 (registry code 7102816, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28R-201
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, unknown or foreign certificate
- Pilot flight hours: 3,788 total, 137 in this make and model, 65 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14CA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA164) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140319002329A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 19, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 1732 MDT N3398M (PA-28R) DEPARTED SIERRA BLANCA REGIONAL (SRR), RUIDOSO NM ON RUNWAY 30.  UPON DEPARTING THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO RUNWAY 6.  WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE AND HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD, APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE NORTH OF THE AIRPORT.  DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE DAMAGING THE LEFT WING AND COLLAPSED THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR AND NOSE GEAR.

## 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 CEN14CA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA164), Mar 19, 2014: Piper PA 28R-201 (N3398M), Ruidoso, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to adjust the engine's fuel-air mixture and decision to takeoff in high density attitude conditions which degraded the airplane's performance.

## Other reports on N3398M (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19810929066959I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810929066959I), Sep 29, 1981: Piper PA28R201 (N3398M), Bear Lake, UT, Minor damage. Pilot taxiied aircraft into soft ground. Nose gear sank, prop hit ground.
- [Incident 19791024054509I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791024054509I), Oct 24, 1979: Piper PA28R200 (N3398M), Tooele, UT, Minor damage. Automatic gear system in the "over ride" position, pilot forgot to put the gear down.

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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