- Date
- May 11, 1985, 11:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Reserve, NM
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7439JPiper PA-28R-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850511016629A
- Case key
- 16675
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.
Analysis
Plt stated that shortly after takeoff at an alt of aprx 100 ft AGL, the acft stopped climbing and started descending. Unable to arrest the descent, the plt attempted a forced landing in a field. Prior to touchdown the left main gear contacted the top of a barbed wire fence and the main and nose gears collapsed on landing. Density alt at time of the accident was calculated to be 7900 ft. the max density alt listed on the takeoff distance vs density alt chart in the owner's handbook is 7000 ft. the plt stated he believed either a downdraft or wind shear was encountered after takeoff, however, he reported a wind velocity of 8 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7439J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-30784
- Airframe hours
- 2,450
- Engine
- Continental IO-360-B1E, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard Dekker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 1985
- Destination
- Tucson, AZ
- Airport
- Q16 · Reserve, runway 24, 4,800 × ft, asphalt
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 307 total · 106 in this make and model · 229 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.