# NTSB CEN11LA307: Cessna 320, N320AZ, Lake Heron, NM, April 24, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 24, 2011, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Lake Heron, NM - Coordinates: 36.689411, -106.670082 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6894&lon=-106.6701&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78983 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA307 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78983/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78983 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA307 ## Probable cause The pilot’s controlled flight into terrain while conducting a flight at low altitude in instrument meteorological conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02040000): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 320F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02040000/cases.md?model=2074516), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02040000/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Cessna 320F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035000/cases.md?model=2074516), [All aircraft, 65 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 320F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=2074516), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) - [Other: Security/criminal event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350); cases with it: [Cessna 320F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md?model=2074516), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/350/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane was on a cross-country flight. A witness, who was on a lake, reported that he heard the sound of an airplane pass low over his head. He added that the engine sound went silent and that he saw a splash of water as the airplane impacted the lake. The airplane was not recovered from the lake; however, highly fragmented parts of the airplane were recovered. Numerous packages, reportedly illegal narcotics, surfaced from the wreckage and were seized by the authorities. At the time of the accident, rain and thunderstorms were reported in the area. The accident is consistent with controlled flight into terrain, while the pilot was operating at low altitude in reduced visibility conditions. ## Factual narrative On April 24, 2011, about 1030 mountain daylight time a Cessna 320F airplane, N320AZ, impacted Heron Lake, near Los Ojos, New Mexico, after departing from cruise flight. The pilot, sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged in the collision and the wreckage submerged in deep water. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operating on a flight plan. The flight originated from Prescott, Arizona, about 0730 mountain daylight time. A witness who was on the water at the time, reported that he heard the engine sound of an airplane flying low overhead. He stated that the engine noise suddenly went silent and he saw a large splash of water. At the time of the accident, weather reported in the area was stormy with rain and thunderstorms. The airplane wreckage was not recovered from the water; an examination of the engines and airframe was not possible. However, pieces that were recovered indicated the airplane fragmented on impact. The airplane’s maintenance records were not available for this investigation. The severity of the water accident meant that the pilot’s identity was determined by DNA and a toxicology test was not performed. A review of records on file with the Federal Aviation Administration revealed the pilot held a private pilot certificate, with single and multi-engine land, airplane ratings. The pilot did not possess an instrument rating. Additionally, the records revealed that he held a third class medical certificate dated December 30, 2009. During the investigation, the pilot’s logbook was not recovered, and as a result his time in make and model, as well as a breakdown of pilot times were not determined. Numerous packages, reportedly illegal narcotics, surfaced from the wreckage and were seized by the authorities. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N320AZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N320AZ-2013-04-25), registration cancelled 2013-04-25, S/N 320F-0027, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 320 (F) - Registry model: [Cessna 320F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320f) (registry code 2074516) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 320-0027 - Engines: Continental IO-520 series reciprocating; Continential IO-520 series reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Prescott, AZ ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 0.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 34 °F - Observed at: KE33, 15 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110424009159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110424009159A), Apr 24, 2011: Cessna 320F, Heron Lake, NM, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On April 24, 2011, at approximately 1625Z, asw roc was notified of an aircraft crash into Heron Lake, just west of tierra amarilla, NM. Based on radar tracking… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 16, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78983. 879 KB in all. - New Mexico police report (extract) (item 1, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40375693&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=New%20Mexico%20police%20report%20(extract)-Master.PDF - News articles (item 2, .PDF, 531 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40375696&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=News%20articles-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40375697&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Weather report memo (item 4, .PDF, 137 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390911&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20report%20memo-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.