- Date
- August 23, 1986, 18:15 local (Aug 24, 1986, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Fe, NM
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N24151Piper PA-38
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860823041859A
- Case key
- 17040
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 encounter with weather
Weather condition - downdraftFactor
Terrain condition - mountainous/hillyFactor
In-flight planning/decision - poorCause
Altitude - not maintainedFactor
In flight collision with terrain/water
Terrain condition - none suitable
Analysis
While flying through a mountain pass at an alt of 1,000 ft AGL, the plt encountered downdraft wind currents. The acft entered an uncontrollable descent and impacted in an alpine meadow.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24151
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-79A1096
- Airframe hours
- 3,034
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2A, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Arnold Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 25, 1986 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- Los Alamos, NM
- Destination
- LBL · Liberal, KS
N24151Registration cancelled Jul 9, 2013 · Piper PA-38-112Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 149 total · 88 in this make and model · 118 as pilot in command · 128 in the last 90 days · 56 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAF, 20 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.