# NTSB DEN77FA012: Piper PA-28, N4208F, Farmington, NM, November 26, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: November 26, 1976
- Place: Farmington, NM · FARMINGTON, NM
- Location: 36.7281° N, 108.2187° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Farmington, NM, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7281&lon=-108.2187&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal
- Status: Completed, report May 3, 1977
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 80031
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN77FA012
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN77FA012

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-4075  76/11/26 NR.FARMINGTON,NM      PIPER PA-28         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 45, 209
        TIME - 1746                    N4208F              PX-  1  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 53 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ROSWELL,NM                  AZTEC,NM
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           PERSONNEL - TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL: FAILURE TO ADVISE OF UNSAFE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  3800
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR
        REMARKS- RECOVERY DATE 12/3/76.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4208F](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4208F-1977-07-07), registration cancelled 1977-07-07, S/N 28-7790007, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

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.