# NTSB DEN84FA137: Piper PA-28-140, N9769W, Reserve, NM, April 24, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: April 24, 1984, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place: Reserve, NM
- Coordinates: 33.699665, -108.760833 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6997&lon=-108.7608&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 3 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16209
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN84FA137
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16209/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN84FA137

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - preflight planning/preparation - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - judgment - poor, pilot in command
  - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - performance data - disregarded, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - proper climb rate - not possible, pilot in command (cause)
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT, ACCORDING TO THE PLT, REACHED ABOUT 500 FT AGL WHEN THE AIRSPEED DROPPED AND THE ACFT STALLED INTO TREES. LATER THE DENSITY ALT WAS FIGURED TO BE 9091 FT. THIS WAS OVER 2000 FTHIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST DATA ON THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS. IF THE CHARTS ARE NOT USABLE THE TAKEOFF SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTEDACCORDING TO FAA. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER LOCAL OBSERVER THE RWY WHICH THE PLT USED IS SELDOM USED BECAUSE OF THE UPHILL GRADIENT WITH HIGHER TERRAIN AND TREES AT THE END.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N9769W (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2823256
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: R L Hefner
- Registered owner: R.L. Hefner
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, April 15, 1981
- Departed: Q16, RESERVE, NM
- Destination: ONM, SOCORRO, NM

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, expired; seat: left; flight hours: 1,500 total, 520 in this make and model, 1,470 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn
- Wind: 240° at 22 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F

## 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 19840424014309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840424014309A), Apr 24, 1984: Piper PA28140, Reserve, NM, Destroyed. Aircraft took off into headwind, wind quit, aircraft settled into trees. Density altitude was 9091 feet.

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.

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