DEN86FA008

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 175A · Jal, NM · October 11, 1985

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report

Date: October 10, 1985, 22:00 local (Oct 11, 1985, 04:00 UTC)
Place: Jal, NM
Injuries: 2 fatal
Damage: Destroyed
Phase of flight: Initial climb
Aircraft: N6959ECessna 175A
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status: Completed
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19851010076519A
Case key: 16789

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

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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 encounter with weatherTakeoff - initial climb

Weather condition - fogFactor

Vfr flight into imc - inadvertentPilot in commandCause

Inadequate recurrent trainingPilot in commandFactor

Weather condition - low ceilingFactor

Light condition - dark nightFactor

Lack of total experience in type of aircraftPilot in commandFactor

Lack of recent experience in type of aircraftFactor

Lack of recent instrument timeFactor

Maintenance,compliance with ad - not performedPilot in command

Loss of control - in flightManeuvering

Spatial disorientationPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Terrain condition - open field

Analysis

A witness watched the acft takeoff and disappear in the darkness. The plt had intended to make 3 takeoffs and landings to regain currency for night flying. The acft never returned. The wreckage was found 2 miles north of the arpt the following morning. Wx was described as being hazy with a low overcast, patchy ground fog, and reduced visibility.

Aircraft

Registration: N6959E
Reported as: Cessna 175A
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 175-56459
Airframe hours: 1,947
Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Destroyed
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Registered owner: Merl E. Lopp
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
Last inspection: 100 hour · October 4, 1984 · 28 hours before
Departed: E26
Airport: E26 · Lea County/Jal, runway 1, 3,600 × 80 ft, asphalt

N6959ERegistration cancelled Oct 15, 2012 · Cessna 175AS/N 56459 · Built 1959 Airframe modelCessna 175A Engine modelContinental GO-300 seriesReciprocating

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: 61
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Left
Toxicology: Performed
Flight hours: 229 total · 10 in this make and model · 196 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind: Calm
Visibility: 2 statute miles

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19851010076519ACessna STC175 · Jal, NMDescended too low on turn to final and impacted ground. Was getting night currency on a dark, foggy night.Oct 10, 1985 · N6959E · Destroyed · 1 fatal