Piper PA-28RT-201T N29665

Summary

On 18 February 1982 at about 05:00 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T registered N29665, operated by Malcolm H. Lesuerur, was involved in an accident near Toadlena, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

18 February 1982 at 05:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Toadlena, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28RT-201T

Registration

N29665

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Malcolm H. Lesuerur

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Taos → Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

FTW82FQA13

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT IN PIPER PA-28RT, N29665, WAS USING A CALL SIGN, N1104X, WHICH WAS THE REGISTRATION NUMBER OF A DESTROYED PA-32. HE WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO FL200, BUT AS HE CONTINUED, HIS SPEECH BECAME SLURRED. HE ACKNOWLEDGED AN ARTC INSTRUCTION TO CHECK HIS OXYGEN AND INSTRUMENTS AND TO DESCEND TO 15,000 FT, BUT HE DID NOT COMPLY. AFTER THAT, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO RADIO CALLS. A C-130 AIRCREW MADE A RENDEZVOUS (AT NIGHT), BUT DETECTED NO OCCUPANTS OR SIGNS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. N29665 WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOPILOT (WITH ALTITUDE HOLD), OXYGEN, AND AN AUTO-GEAR LOWERING SYSTEM. AFTER AIRBORNE ABOUT 3 HRS (TIME TO USE 1 FUEL TANK), THE PLANE BEGAN TO DESCEND AND WAS OBSERVED ENTERING A FOG BANK NEAR THE CRASH SITE. IT CRASHED WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED, ELEVATION 6250 FT MSL, FUEL SELECTOR TO THE EMPTY LEFT TANK (RIGHT TANK WAS FULL). THE PILOT WAS FOUND ALIVE, 6 1/2 HRS LATER. THE OXYGEN TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY, VALVE AT "OFF" POSITION, OXYGEN AVAILABLE FOR PILOT USE, BUT THE OXYGEN MASKS WERE STILL PACKAGED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.