Christen A-1 HUSKY N29162

Summary

On 14 July 1989 at about 13:24 local time, a Christen A-1 HUSKY registered N29162 was involved in an accident near Somerton, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 July 1989 at 13:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Somerton, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Yuma Int'l (YUM)

Coordinates

32.5305, -114.7104

Aircraft

Christen A-1 HUSKY

Registration

N29162

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yuma → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89FA239

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. THE LACK OF ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A CHRISTEN INDUSTRIES HUSKY A-1 OPERATED BY THE US BORDER PATROL AS A PUBLIC USE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH FLAT DESERT TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS VISUALLY TRACKING FOOTPRINTS NEAR THE US-MEXICAN BORDER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ORBITING AT A LOW ALTITUDE SHORTLY BEFORE ENTERING A STEEP TURN DURING WHICH THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & A POST IMPACT FIRE ERUPTED. THE FLAPS WERE DETERMINED TO BE IN THE 20 DEG SETTING. THE REAR SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY WAS DETERMINED TO BE UNLATCHED AT THE TIME OF IMPACT, THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL HAD PERFORMANCE INFORMATION CONCERNING STALL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRPLANE. THE MANUAL INDICATED AN ALTITUDE LOSS OF 150 FT DURING POWER OFF STALLS. THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL INDICATED THE USE OF 30 DEG FLAPS FOR ALL FLIGHT MANEUVERS REQUIRING FLAPS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.