# NTSB WPR20LA121: Piper PA-32RT-300T, N2112A, Angostura, NM, April 10, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 10, 2020, 13:32 local (19:32 UTC)
- Place: Angostura, NM
- Coordinates: 36.070835, -105.558891 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0708&lon=-105.5589&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Piper Aircraft Inc., Lycoming Engines
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101168
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20LA121
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101168/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101168
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA121

## Probable cause

The pilots precautionary off airport landing due to an undetermined engine issue.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=7103216), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=7103216), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103216), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-32RT-300T, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103216), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During a daytime visual flight rules cross-country flight, the pilot landed at an intermediate stop. He reported that, during landing, the “engine stopped,” which he assumed was due to the high-density altitude. The pilot restarted the engine, taxied to parking, and refueled the airplane. He did not report doing any troubleshooting to determine why the engine quit during landing. The pilot subsequently departed the airport and was conducting “S-turn climbs” to avoid terrain. The pilot reported that, as the airplane was about 11,000 ft mean sea level, the engine sputtered. The pilot advanced throttle, mixture, and propeller controls forward. Recorded engine data showed normal operational signatures, and an increase in fuel flow, manifold pressure, and engine rpm, consistent with the pilot’s action of advancing the engine controls. The pilot stated he turned to the right to avoid terrain and the stall warning activated during the turn. In response, he lowered the nose and decided to land in an area of snow-covered mountainous terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings. Postaccident examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Engine data showed the engine operated normally throughout the flight and there were no anomalies prior to the data ending that would indicate the engine “sputtered” as reported by the pilot.

## Factual narrative

On April 10, 2020, about 1332 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T airplane, N2112A, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Angostura, New Mexico. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that prior to the accident flight, he landed at the Los Alamos Airport (LAM), Los Alamos, New Mexico. During the landing roll, the “engine stopped” and he “presumed at the time, it was due to the 8,500 [ft] density altitude.” The pilot restarted the engine and taxied to the refueling area. After refueling the airplane, the pilot departed LAM for Kansas City, Missouri, which was northeast of LAM. About 20 to 25 minutes after departure, he was conducting “S-turn climbs” to avoid terrain. As the airplane was about 11,000 ft mean sea level, the engine sputtered. The pilot advanced throttle, mixture, and propeller controls forward, and turned the airplane to the right to avoid terrain. The pilot stated the stall warning activated during the turn. In response, he lowered the nose and decided to land in an area of snow-covered mountainous terrain. The airplane came to rest at an elevation of about 12,100 ft and about 45 miles northeast of LAM. A photograph of the airplane taken by the pilot revealed that the left and right wings were separated and structurally damaged. Examination of the recovered airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Recorded engine data captured the accident flight. The data showed that all recorded parameters were consistent with normal operation throughout the flight until about a unit time of 1847:06, fuel flow, manifold pressure, and engine RPM increased from about 20 gallons per hour (GPH), 25.6 inches, and 2,393 rpm, to about 31 GPH, 32.7 inches, and 2,531 rpm respectively. At a unit time of 1847:54, fuel flow, manifold pressure, and engine RPM further increased to 36.5 GPH, 36.3 inches, and 2,696 rpm, followed by a decrease that is consistent with the engine losing power or shut down normally, as seen in figure 1. Figure 1: Portion of recorded engine data (last 1 minute, 5 seconds)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2112A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2112A-2021-10-30), registration cancelled 2021-10-30, S/N 32R-7987005, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Piper PA-32RT-300T
- Registry model: [Piper PA-32RT-300T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t) (registry code 7103216) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 32R-7987005
- Year built: 1978
- Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 12, 2019
- Departed: KLAM, Los Alamos, NM
- Destination: KMKC, Kansas City, MO
- Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 26, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 11,000 total, 70 in this make and model, 10,500 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KSKX, 23 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20200410013139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200410013139A), Apr 10, 2020: Piper PA-32RT-300T, Los Alamos, NM, Substantial damage. On April 10, 2020, at approximately 13:40 MDT, a pa 32, N2112A, registered to [privacy data omitted] and flown by [privacy data omitted], pilot certificate…

## Docket (9 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101168. 7.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 4.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415748&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Downloaded jpi engine data (item 2, CSV, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415015&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Flt237-Rel.csv
- Jpi data plot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13970005&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=JPI%20data%20plot-Rel.pdf
- Lycoming exam notes (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 191 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415201&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N2112A%20Lycoming%20field%20notes-Rel.pdf
- Piper examination notes (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 113 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415025&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Piper%20Rel%20Field%20Notes-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 206 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415758&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N2112A%20NTSB%20Wreckage%20Release%20Form%20Signed%2012%2021%2021_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (Lycoming) (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 825 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13967295&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPr20LA121%20Lycoming%20Party%20Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation - Piper aircraft (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 301 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415768&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=piper%20party%20form_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13415531&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.pdf

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.

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