- Date
- August 5, 1989, 15:58 local (21:58 UTC)
- Place
- Ruidoso, NM
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9183HCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890805027699A
- Case key
- 17760
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
The pilot's improper use of the mixture control and carburetor heat during a takeoff in high density altitude conditions. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude.
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
N9183H had just taken off from an 8100 x 100 ft asphalt rwy where the elev is 6811 ft MSL. There was a right quartering headwind at 10 KTS and the temp was 81 deg f. the density altitude was calculated to be 9400 ft. the plt said he leaned the mixture at 2000 RPM during the runup and after takeoff the engine began to lose RPM, airspeed, and altitude. The plt said he first enriched the mixture and then leaned it out again. He then applied carb heat as the RPM had decreased to 1900. When the RPM reached 1800, the plt decided an off airport forced landing was inevitable. The airplane crashed into trees 1/4 mile south of the south end of the rwy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9183H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17265998
- Airframe hours
- 4,368
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kelley, Robert V.
- Registered owner
- Kelley, Robert V
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 18, 1989 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- SSB
- Destination
- SJT · San Angelo, TX
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
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 963 total · 548 in this make and model · 882 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SRR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.