DEN87FA011

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · Gallup, NM · October 30, 1986

Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal report

Date: October 29, 1986, 17:15 local (Oct 30, 1986, 00:15 UTC)
Place: Gallup, NM
Injuries: 4 serious
Damage: Destroyed
Phase of flight: Maneuvering
Aircraft: N65184Cessna 172P
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19861029056969A
Case key: 17078

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.

Loss of control - in flightManeuvering

In-flight planning/decision - poorPilot in commandCause

Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause

In flight collision with objectDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

While flying at a low level spotting deer in mountainous terrain the plt attempted to fly over a ridgeline with terrain that rose faster than the acft climb capability. At low airspeed and altitude he initiated a turn to reverse course toward lower terrain. The acft stalled, struck trees and impacted steep rocky terrain.

Aircraft

Registration: N65184
Reported as: Cessna 172P
Category: Airplane
Serial number: 17275703
Airframe hours: 1,665
Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Destroyed
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Registered owner: Gallup Flying Service, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
Last inspection: Annual · August 4, 1986 · 84 hours before
Departed: GUP · Gallup, NM

N65184Registration cancelled Nov 2, 1988 · Cessna 172PS/N 17275703 Airframe modelCessna 172P

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: 24
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 74 total · 17 in this make and model · 56 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind: 260° at 8 knots
Visibility: 25 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None
Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 23 °F
Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Observed at: GUP, 22 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.

Accident 19861029056969ACessna 172P · Gallup, NMThe aircraft stalled while maneuvering at low altitude. Pilot failed to compute weight and balance. Was over grossOct 29, 1986 · N65184 · Destroyed

Other investigations on N65184 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN85LA171Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGallup, NMOn June 23, 1985, a student plt flying a C-172 departed the side of the rwy whole landing at Gallup, NM. He said that the landing was made at too high an airspeed. Upon departing the rwy the acft proceeded into a ditch causing substantial damage.Jun 24, 1985 · Substantial damage