DEN85FA118

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172 P · Santa Fe, NM · April 19, 1985

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
April 18, 1985, 22:00 local (Apr 19, 1985, 05:00 UTC)
Place
Santa Fe, NM
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Maneuvering
Aircraft
N52457Cessna 172 P
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19850418016169A
Case key
16535

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with terrain/waterManeuvering
Judgment - poorUnqualified personCause
Impairment(alcohol)Pilot in commandCause
Stolen aircraft/unauthorized use - intentionalPilot in commandFactor
Terrain condition - high obstruction(s)Factor
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Altitude - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Visual/aural perceptionPilot in commandFactor
Spatial disorientationPilot in commandFactor
Seat belt - not usedPilot in commandFactor
Seat belt - not usedPassengerFactor

Analysis

Two persons, neither rated as plts, took the acft without the knowledge or consent of the operator or arpt officials. They took off at night, & after a short time, returned to the arpt to land. During an attempted landing, the acft touched down hard, bounced twice, then departed toward the southwest. A short time later, the acft crashed about 3 mi west northwest of the arpt, but it was not fnd until late on the morning of 4/20/85. Impact occurred near a high tension power line while at high speed in a nose low, slightly right wing low attitude & on a hdg of 140 deg. An investigation revealed that the acft did not collide with the wires. Both occupants had been employed by the operator as line boys. One was still employed & had access to the office. Both had been drinking beer for some time prior to the flt. Tox shecks showed the l front seat occupant had an alcohol lvl of 0.239%; the r front occupant had a lvl of 0.184%.neither occupant had used the available seat belt or shoulder harness.

Aircraft

Registration
N52457
Reported as
Cessna 172 P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17274531
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Part 91
Operator
Santa Fe Aviation
Registered owner
Ross & Sylvial Palmer
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · March 30, 1985

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
27
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
30° at 12 knots
Visibility
40 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
48 °F, dew point 23 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
SAF, 3 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.