# Accident 20210812020719A: Beech 77, Stanley, NM, August 12, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 12, 2021, 11:00 local time - Place: Stanley, NM - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.1678° N, 105.9687° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1678&lon=-105.9687&mi=10 - Aircraft: N3873Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3873Y-2023-05-31) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech 77 (registry code 1153007, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-77) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 77 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR21LA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA316) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210812020719A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON AUGUST 12, 2021, ABOUT 1100 MDT, A BEECH 77 SKIPPER, N3873Y, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR STANLEY, NEW MEXICO. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT DOUBLE EAGLE II AIRPORT IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM, KAEG. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED DURING THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, WAS NOT INJURED. N3873Y WAS DESTROYED AS RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE MAINTAINED ONLY A 200 FPM CLIMB RATE. HE ADDED THAT 3 DAYS EARLIER, UNDER ALMOST IDENTICAL ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AND AIRPLANE LOADING, THE AIRPLANE MAINTAINED A CLIMB RATE OF 500 FPM. A PERFORMANCE CALCULATION FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT CONDUCTED BY THE NTSB, THE ABQ FSDO, AND THE PILOT REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE?S CLIMB RATE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 500+ FPM. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB HIGHER THAN 6,700 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL AND DECIDED TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE TOWARDS A NEARBY AIRPORT, 0E0. ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AS HE MANEUVERED TO FOLLOW A ROAD TO REACH THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE TERRAIN WAS RISING AND ELECTED TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY/EMERGENCY LANDING. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN CATTLEGUARD POST AND THE SLID UPRIGHT 200 FEET TO A STOP. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT CLAIMS TO HAVE PROPERLY LEANED THE FUEL MIXTURE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AS HE ALWAYS DOES DURING HIS REGULARLY SUMMER FLIGHT OVER AND IN NEW MEXICO. HE HAS SUBSTANTIAL PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN FLYING IN HIGH-DENSITY-ALTITUDE ENVIRONMENTS LIKE CENTRAL NEW MEXICO IN HIS MANY YEARS OF FLYING THIS VERY SAME AIRCRAFT. HE SUSPECTS THAT A SPARK PLUG/PLUGS AND/OR CYLINDER MAY HAVE BEEN MALFUNCTIONING IN HIS ENGINE. THIS IS AGAIN BASED ON HIS 4000 PLUS HOURS OF OWNING THIS AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, THE NTSB ELECTED TO NOT TEAR DOWN THE ENGINE OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS WRITTEN OFF BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION BY AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS OF THE ABQ FSDO. THE AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS OF THE ABQ FSDO WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE DID NOT LOOK AT ENGINE CYLINDERS OR SPARK PLUGS. BASED ON THE LIMITED DATA AVAILABLE AND STATEMENTS MADE BY THE PILOT TO BOTH THE NTSB AND ABQ FSDO, IT APPEARS PLAUSIBLE THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE AIRCRAFT THAT ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRMAN MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT SLID INTO AN UNSEEN CATTLEGUARD POST ON THE GROUND. THE AIRMAN HAD FLOWN THIS SAME ROUTE PREVIOUSLY IN NEARLY IDENTICAL CONDITIONS WITH NO PERFORMANCE ISSUES WHATSOEVER. ## 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 WPR21LA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA316), Aug 12, 2021: Beech 77 (N3873Y), Stanley, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine performance due to lead fouling of the lower spark plugs, which resulted in an off airport forced landing. 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.