- Date
- January 14, 1989, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5983PPiper PA-24-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890114000459A
- Case key
- 17576
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Engine stoppage from fuel starvation which resulted from the pilot's failure to select the fullest tank for takeoff. In addition the pilot attempted to return to the airport during the forced landing and inadvertently stalled the aircraft during the descending turn.
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
A total loss of engine power was experienced during initial takeoff climb. The plt attempted to turn back to the airport. According to the passenger, the stall horn activated during the turn and the acft collided with the ground. Investigation revealed that the pilot took off with the fuel selector positioned on the right wing fuel tank which contained only residual fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5983P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-1076
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Roy E. Abbott
- Registered owner
- Roy E Abbott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 4AC · Albuquerque, NM
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
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 268 total · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 25 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5983P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.