FTW83FA362

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172F · El Paso, TX · August 7, 1983

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
August 7, 1983, 11:25 local (17:25 UTC)
Place
El Paso, TX
Injuries
3 fatal, 1 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N5259FCessna 172F
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19830807039099A
Case key
20752

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Aircraft preflight - improperPilot in commandFactor
Aircraft weight and balance - exceededPilot in commandFactor
Weather condition - high density altitudeFactor
Lack of familiarity with geographic areaPilot in commandFactor
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Lack of total experiencePilot in commandFactor
Lack of total experience in type of aircraftPilot in commandFactor
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

Two plts & 2 passengers departed san angelo, TX, on a x-country flt, one of the plts, who had 95 hrs of flying time, was the pilot-in-command (PIC) for the 1st leg of the x-country to El Paso, TX. On the next leg, the other plt assumed duties as PIC & signed the flt plan. During an intersection takeoff with 5600 ft remaining, the acft lifted off after rolling an estmated 1500 ft. it then climbed to an estimated max alt of about 300 ft. the plt accepted a turn to 120 deg to make way for a departing jet. After starting the turn, the acft suddenly dropped, losing about 1/3 of its alt. A witness reported that it climbed & dropped 2 more times. On the lost time, it crashed in the desert in a steep descent. No preimpact/mechanical problem was found. The props had evidence of hi rotational damage. The density alt was estimated to be 6424 ft. tower personnel described the acft as being near its stall speed from lift-off until it crashed. The acft was estimated to be 38 lbs over its max gross wt limit.

Aircraft

Registration
N5259F
Reported as
Cessna 172F
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17253371
Engine
Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
U S Air Force, doing business as Aero Club
Registered owner
U.S. Air Force
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Destination
PEQ · Pecos, TX
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
ELP · El Paso International

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
19
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
71 total · 7 in this make and model · 34 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
30° at 3 knots
Visibility
70 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
90 °F, dew point 55 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
ELP, 2 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.