- Date
- February 16, 1991, 13:07 local (20:07 UTC)
- Place
- Timberon, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N49123Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910216002559A
- Case key
- 18072
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 inadequate preflight planning and selection of the wrong runway. Related factors were: the rising terrain, trees, and the pilot's lack of experience.
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
The 70 hour pilot took off from the 4900 foot runway uphill and the airplane impacted trees on rising terrain off the end of the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane would not accelerate or climb at a sufficient rate to miss the trees. After tree impact, the airplane descended out of control to terrain impact. Local pilots reported that takeoff to the north was not recommended because of trees just north of the airport and the rising terrain. The new Mexico aeronautical chart stated 'possible unreported hazards. User assumes all risks.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N49123
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15281152
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Leroy C. Reynolds
- Registered owner
- Leroy C. Reynolds
- Departed
- 52E · Timberon, NM
- Destination
- ELP · El Paso, TX
- Airport
- 52E · Timberon, runway 31, 4,900 × 50 ft, gravel
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
- 17
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 70 total · 68 in this make and model · 32 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.