# NTSB FTW83FA087: Piper PA-32-300, Animas, NM, December 26, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 26, 1982, 10:35 local (17:35 UTC)
- Place: Animas, NM
- Coordinates: 31.939849, -108.830818 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9398&lon=-108.8308&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 7 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 26, 1983
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 69786
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW83FA087
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69786/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW83FA087

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - flight into known adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause)
  - qualification, pilot in command
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, unknown
  - aircraft weight and balance - exceeded, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - design stress limits of aircraft - excessive, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT DEPARTED AGUE PRIETA, SONORA, MEXICO WITH NO FLT PLAN ON A FLT TO JANOS, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO. DRG DEPARTURE, THE PLT'S SON OBSERVED A DARK THREATENING CLOUD BANK IN THE DIRECTION OF FLT NEAR A MTN RANGE. WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE DESTINATION, A SEARCH WAS BEGUN WHICH WAS EXTENDED ON THE US SIDE OF THE BORDER. ON 1/15/82, A RANCHER FOUND THE WRECKAGE WHICH WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA EXCEEDING 1 MI IN LENGTH. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL ASSEMBLY, RIGHT WING, ABOUT 1/2 OF THE LEFT WING AND WINDSCREEN HAD SEPARATED IN FLT. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT WOULD INDICATE A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT, ENGINE, PROPELLER OR ACCESSORIES, EXCEPT FOR SEPARATED COMPONENTS WHICH SHOWED EVIDENCE OF IN-FLT PLT INDUCED OVERLOADS. LOCAL RESIDENTS REPORTED A SEVERE SNOW STORM WITH HEAVY WET SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT RATED FOR INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. DRG TKOF, THE ACFT WAS APRX 547 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT, CG APRX 2 IN BEHIND AFT LIMIT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: XAHIJ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 327840020
- Airframe hours: 2203
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1AS 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operator: Ignacia Valenzuela
- Registered owner: Ignacia Valenzuela
- Departed: AGUA PRIETA
- Destination: JANOS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 56; foreign, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: unknown, unknown

## Weather

- Conditions: Day
- Wind: 50° at 15 knots
- Temperature: 95 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: DOU, 50 nm away

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.