# NTSB FTW93LA087: Piper PA-28-180, N2187R, Magdalena, NM, February 13, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 13, 1993, 01:00 local (08:00 UTC) - Place: Magdalena, NM - Coordinates: 34.110515, -107.230773 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1105&lon=-107.2308&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 minor - Status: Completed, report February 10, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18699 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18699/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA087 ## Probable cause FUEL EXHAUSTION POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL. FACTORS WERE THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND THE DARK NIGHT ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - normal - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) ## Analysis DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM CALIFORNIA TO NEW MEXICO THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND 20 MINUTES AND WAS 35 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION WHEN THE LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. PRIOR TO DEPARTING CALIFORNIA THERE WAS 48 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD. A REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD REACHED ITS ENDURANCE LIMITS AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND FUEL WAS ADDED PRIOR TO A PLANNED ENGINE RUN. THE ENGINE WAS RUN AND IT ACHIEVED NORMAL OPERATIONS THROUGH ALL RPM RANGES. ## Factual narrative On february 13, 1993, at approximately 0100 mountain standard time, a Piper PA 28 180 airplane, N2187R, was substantially damaged upon impact with terrain near Magdalena, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, while his two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal night cross country flight. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane departed the Compton Municipal Airport in Compton, California on the previous night with 48 gallons of usable fuel on board, with Socorro, New Mexico as their destination. Four hours and twenty minutes after departure, while the airplane was in cruise flight approximately 35 miles from their destination, a loss of engine power was experienced and the pilot, who was receiving traffic advisories from the Albuquerque Center, declared an emergency and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Vectors were issued for the Magdalena Airport. The airplane went through three dead trees prior to impacting the upslope side of a mountain at an elevation of 6,720 feet, approximately 150 feet from the top of the mountain. After sliding for about 60 feet, the airplane came to rest on a measured heading of 055 degrees. The Albuquerque Center vectored another airplane to the vicinity of the accident and once located they were quickly evacuated. Damage to the airplane included the shearing of the landing gear, the buckling and wings, and the general distortion of the engine cowling and firewall. Examination of the fuel system by the FAA inspector revealed that both fuel cells were empty. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2187R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2187R-2013-06-14), registration cancelled 2013-06-14, S/N 28-5480, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-5480 - Airframe hours: 2484 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-B1E 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Klungle, Robert L. - Registered owner: Klungle, Robert L. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 3, 1993 - Departed: CPM, COMPTON, CA - Destination: ONM, SOCORRO, NM - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 25; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 155 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 270° at 5 knots - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19930213004329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930213004329A), Feb 13, 1993: Piper PA28180, Magdalena, NM, Substantial damage. Low on fuel. Unable to make vectored airport. Crashed on mountain upslope as engine quit. No usable fuel onboard. 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.