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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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October 27, 1983 · Cessna 182Q · N735CP

Columbus, NM

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 27, 1983
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Columbus, NM
Aircraft
Cessna 182Q
Tail Number
N735CP
Operator
Hawthorne Aviation Service
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
FTW84FA032

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DEPARTED IMPERIAL, CA, AT 2010 PDT, & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WAS IDENTIFIED & FOLLOWED BY A U.S. CUSTOMS SPECIAL MISSION ACFT. THE ACFT WAS FOLLOWED TO DEMMING, NM. DURING THAT PORTION OF THE FLT, ITS ALTITUDE VARIED FROM ABOUT 500 FT AGL TO 16,000 FT MSL. AT ONE POINT DURING THE FLT, THE ACFT WAS FLOWN AT NEAR THE STALL SPEED. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT FLEW IN & OUT OFF THE CLOUDS. WHEN HE ARRIVED OVER DEMMING, HE MADE TWO 360 DEG TURNS & WAS OBSERVED IN A DESCENDING SPIRAL THRU 9000 FT. THE ACFT CONTINUED FLYING UNTIL IT IMPACTED A 5200 FT MOUNTAINABOUT 23 MI EAST OF COLUMBUS, NM AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 4750 FT. IMPACT OCCURRED IN STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL PROBLEM. APRX 40 MI ESE AT EL PASO, TX, THE 0248 MDT WX WAS: 800 FT SCATTERED, 3300 FT BROKEN, VISIBILITY 7 MI (ELEVATION 3956 FT). THE AREA FORECAST CALLED FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS & RAIN SHOWERS WITH MOUNTAINS OCCASIONALLY OBSCURED.

Full Narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DEPARTED IMPERIAL, CA, AT 2010 PDT, & SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WAS IDENTIFIED & FOLLOWED BY A U.S. CUSTOMS SPECIAL MISSION ACFT. THE ACFT WAS FOLLOWED TO DEMMING, NM. DURING THAT PORTION OF THE FLT, ITS ALTITUDE VARIED FROM ABOUT 500 FT AGL TO 16,000 FT MSL. AT ONE POINT DURING THE FLT, THE ACFT WAS FLOWN AT NEAR THE STALL SPEED. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE PLT FLEW IN & OUT OFF THE CLOUDS. WHEN HE ARRIVED OVER DEMMING, HE MADE TWO 360 DEG TURNS & WAS OBSERVED IN A DESCENDING SPIRAL THRU 9000 FT. THE ACFT CONTINUED FLYING UNTIL IT IMPACTED A 5200 FT MOUNTAINABOUT 23 MI EAST OF COLUMBUS, NM AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 4750 FT. IMPACT OCCURRED IN STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL PROBLEM. APRX 40 MI ESE AT EL PASO, TX, THE 0248 MDT WX WAS: 800 FT SCATTERED, 3300 FT BROKEN, VISIBILITY 7 MI (ELEVATION 3956 FT). THE AREA FORECAST CALLED FOR SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS & RAIN SHOWERS WITH MOUNTAINS OCCASIONALLY OBSCURED.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time01:20 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledVFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 182Q
Tail NumberN735CP
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorHawthorne Aviation Service
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-470-U · Reciprocating · 230
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 31 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsUnknown
LightDark Night
Wind60° @ 3 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point55 / 54
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time08:48
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data