- Date
- October 10, 1985, 06:50 local (11:50 UTC)
- Place
- Pecos, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N711OWPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 21872
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
The non-instrument rated pvt plt departed on a night flt with wx reported as 300 and 2 in fog and drizzle. Acft impacted terrain shortly thereafter in a 60 degree nose down attitude. The plt had told a friend that after depature he would acquire and then follow the lights along a nearby interstate hwy to his destantion. The friend, who witnessed the departure, stated that shortly after liftoff he lost sight of the acft's rotating beacon due to the low visibility. The plt had a reputation for flying in marginal or worse wx and had been violated for the same on one previous occasion. No evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunction was revealed during the investigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N711OW
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-901
- Airframe hours
- 4,505
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Carl L. Harrison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 23, 1985 · 25 hours before
- Destination
- EO1 · Monahans, TX
- Airport
- PEQ · Pecos Muni, runway 31, 6,255 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 830 total · 79 in this make and model · 802 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 10° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MAF, 82 nm away