Piper PA-28-140 N32982

Summary

On 13 March 1988 at about 23:45 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N32982, operated by Latham, Woody, was involved in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 March 1988 at 23:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Ruidoso, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Sierra Blanca Regional (SRR)

Coordinates

33.3499, -105.6798

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N32982

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Latham, Woody

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ruidoso → Fort Worth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN88LA065

2 people were 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 PRIVATE PLT AND TWO PAX ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF AT OR NEAR MAX GWT AT A DENSITY ALT OF 6,500 FT MSL. FULL FUEL HAD BEEN LOADED IN THE RIGHT TANK AND THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE LEFT TANK WAS EMPTY. RWY 24 WAS IN USE WITH A 70 DEGREE X-WIND REPORTED FROM 310 DEGREES AT 14, GUSTING TO 32 KTS. THE TWR OPERATOR SAID THAT ON TAKEOFF 'THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THEN WENT NOSE HIGH.' THE ACFT WENT OUT OF SIGHT OFF THE END OF RWY. TWICE, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED TOWARD THE RWY AS THE NOSE WENT HIGH. WITNESSES REPORT THAT THE ACFT NEVER CLIMBED ABOVE 25 FT AGL. THE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP WIRE OF THE ARPT FENCE AT FOUR FT AGL PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE ACFT STRUCK TREES BEYOND THE END OF RWY 24 AND BOTH WINGS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.