Piper PA-32R-300 N3166Q

Summary

On 15 October 1989 at about 19:15 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N3166Q, operated by Alpine Flight Center, was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 1989 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Coronado (4AC)

Coordinates

35.0593, -106.6201

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N3166Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Alpine Flight Center

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → El Monte

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN90LA010

Nobody was injured.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, HIS FAILURE TO USE THE RECOMMENDED FLAP EXTENSION, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AUTOMATIC GEAR EXTENSION SPEED OR USE THE OVERRIDE FEATURE, WHICH ALLOWED THE GEAR TO EXTEND (PRECLUDING THE ABILITY TO CLIMB), AND THE POWER LINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING TAKEOFF FROM A 4010 FT RWY AT AN ELEVATION OF 5280 FT, THE PLT DID NOT USE 10 DEG OF FLAPS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE FLT MANUAL. HE SAID LIFT-OFF WAS AT 90 KTS & HE RAISED THE LANDING GEAR, BUT AFTER THE ACFT CLEARED TREES, HE NOTED THE SPEED WAS STILL AT 90 KTS. THE PLANE STOPPED CLIMBING & SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK A POWER LINE. IT THEN SETTLED TO THE GROUND WITH THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SLID TO A STOP. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A BACKUP GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD AUTOMATICALLY EXTEND THE GEAR BELOW A GIVEN SPEED, EXCEPT WHEN THE OVERRIDE FUNCTION WAS SELECTED. THE AUTOMATIC EXTENSION SPEED WAS 81 KTS AT SEA LEVEL, BUT INCREASED IN A STRAIGHT LINE VARIATION TO 100 KTS AT 10,000 FT. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE AIRPORT WAS ABOUT 7000 FT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.