- Date
- May 22, 1995, 08:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Ignacio, NM
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2840LCessna 172H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950522012319A
- Case key
- 19432
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot flying at an inadequate altitude to clear surrounding terrain. Factors were: high mountainous terrain and high density altitude.
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
While on a local personal flight, the pilot was flying the aircraft up a canyon and could not out-climb rising terrain or reverse course. The aircraft entered trees while attempting to climb. The accident site was 8,500 feet MSL and the density altitude at the time was 11,500 feet MSL.
Factual narrative
On May 22, 1995, at 0830 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172H, N2840L, impacted mountainous terrain near San Ignacio, New Mexico. The pilot and passenger received serious injuries and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for this local area personal flight which departed Las Vegas, New Mexico, at 0745.
According to the FAA inspector who conducted the on scene portion of the investigation, the flight was proceeding up a canyon with the occupants looking at real estate. The FAA inspector said that the pilot reported that the aircraft could not out-climb the terrain or reverse course. The pilot said the aircraft entered trees while attempting to turn and climb.
The accident site elevation was 8,500 feet above mean sea level (msl) and the density altitude at the time was 11,500 feet msl.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2840L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17256040
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Louis Mcginnis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LVS · Las Vegas, NM
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
- 44
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 8,700 total · 300 in this make and model · 8,598 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LVS, 15 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.