- Date
- May 28, 1999, 11:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Farmington, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N89586Cessna 140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990528018079A
- Case key
- 46457
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 excessive use of rudder while attempting to correct for loss of directional control. Factors were the pilot's loss of directional control, and his lack of experience in the type of airplane.
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 pilot said he raised the tail for takeoff at an indicated airspeed of 35 mph. The nose of the airplane pulled to the right and he over corrected with left rudder. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck the 5,000 foot marker. The right main landing gear buckled and the right wing contacted the ground, causing substantial wing damage. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. At the time of the accident the wind was variable at 5 knots. Although the pilot reported he had accumulated 73 hours total flight time, 40 hours of which were in the Cessna 140, he had acquired only 3 hours of pilot in command time, all of which were in the airplane make and model.
Factual narrative
On May 28, 1999, approximately 1105 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 140, N89586, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during takeoff at Four Corners Regional Airport, Farmington, New Mexico. The student pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating when the accident occurred.
According to the pilot, he raised the tail for takeoff at an indicated airspeed of 35 mph. The nose of the airplane pulled to the right and he over corrected with left rudder. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and struck the 5,000 foot marker. The right main landing gear buckled and the right wing contacted the ground, causing substantial wing damage. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. At the time of the accident the wind was variable at 5 knots.
Although the pilot reported he had accumulated 73 hours total flight time, 40 hours of which were in the Cessna 140, he had acquired only 3 hours of pilot in command time, all of which were in the airplane make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N89586
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8629
- Airframe hours
- 2,832
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lawrence D & Darlene T Backer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 1998 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- FMN
- Airport
- FMN · Four Corners Regional, runway 7, 6,702 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 73 total · 3 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FMN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.