Beechcraft E33 N20CF

Summary

On 2 July 1989 at about 21:35 local time, a Beechcraft E33 registered N20CF, operated by Fitch, Paul S., was involved in an accident near Angel Fire, New Mexico, United States. 4 people were on board and one died, 3 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 1989 at 21:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Angel Fire, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Angel Fire (AXX)

Coordinates

36.3903, -105.2697

Aircraft

Beechcraft E33

Registration

N20CF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Fitch, Paul S.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN89FA152

1 person died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, HIS PREMATURE ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO OBTAIN OR MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED TO CLIMB, AND HIS FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF (WHILE THERE WAS SUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT GROSS WEIGHT TO EXCEED THE MAXIMUM LIMIT, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, UPHILL RUNWAY GRADIENT, DOWNDRAFT, TURBULENCE, AND TREES.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT AND 3 PAX BOARDED THE ACFT AT ANGEL FIRE, NM (ELEV 8382 FT MSL) TO RETURN TO PHOENIX, AZ. DENSITY ALT WAS APRX 11,582 FT MSL. THE ACFT, WHICH HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED, HAD 54 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD AND WAS APRX 30 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKE OFF ON RWY 17 (8900 FT X 75 FT, 0.643% UPHILL GRADIENT). HE ROTATED 3 TIMES BEFORE THE ACFT FINALLY LIFTED OFF NEAR THE DEPARTURE END. NUMEROUS WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT FLYING LOW THROUGH THE VALLEY TOWARDS GRADUALLY RISING TERRAIN. IT FINALLY STRUCK TREES AND CRASHED APRX 5 MI FROM THE ARPT AT AN ELEV OF 8813 FT MSL. ONE PAX WAS FATALLY INJURED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EVACUATE THE BURNING ACFT. PERFORMANCE CHARTS INDICATED THE ACFT WAS CAPABLE OF TAKING OFF UNDER THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS. THE PLT LATER REPORTED THAT TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS DEGRADED THE ACFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE. HE ALSO INDICATED THE ACFT WAS ON THE VERGE OF STALLING THROUGHOUT THE SHORT FLT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.