- Date
- May 11, 1982, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5648HPiper PA-16
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 11, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820511015379A
- Case key
- 69721
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Both of the occupants were rated pilots and had just purchased the aircraft. They were ferrying the plane from new york state to California. The pilot reported that during takeoff, he lifted off near the mid-point of the runway and held a flat attitude to gain airspeed. He felt that there was not enough climb developing to get over trees and turned left 15 degrees. Witnesses reported that the plane took off at a relatively slow speed and never seemed to accelerate. After turning, the plane mushed into steadily rising terrain. An inspection of the engine controls revealed that the fuel primer was in an unlocked position. This could have resulted in a rich mixture resulting in a loss of power. The density altitude was about 6800 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5648H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-16
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16-259
- Airframe hours
- 1,529
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-CTC, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles A. Sweet
- Registered owner
- Charles A. Sweet
- Departed
- 4CR · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- Flagstaff, AZ
- Airport
- 4CR · Coronado, runway 17, 4,020 × 0 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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 930 total · 117 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Temperature
- 149 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.