Beechcraft A36 N3869A

Summary

On 21 December 1996 at about 20:00 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N3869A was involved in an accident near Chacon, New Mexico, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 December 1996 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Chacon, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N3869A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Raton → Glendale

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97FA067

6 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude and clearance from the high, mountainous terrain. Factors were; high wind, turbulence, and mountain wave conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with rugged, mountainous terrain while on a VFR cross country flight. According to all available information, the airplane was en route at an altitude between 9,000 and 13,000 feet MSL. Mountain peaks along the route of flight were in the 9,000 to 13,000 foot range. Area Pilot Reports (PIREPS) 16 for light airplanes, and weather observations confirmed that the airplane had flown into about 50-55 knot upper level headwinds, and through moderate to severe turbulence. One PIREP indicated that 'up' and 'down' drafts exceeded 1,000 feet per minute. Another PIREP indicated that 'stacked lenticular clouds were observed at a magnitude that he had not seen before.' According to the NTSB Meteorology Factual Report, the airplane was in severe to extreme turbulent air, and that mountain wave conditions may have been present at the time of the accident. The 8,200 hour pilot was familiar with the route of flight, and no condition of incapacitation was found during the autopsy. Examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller did not reveal any evidence of pre-impact failure(s).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.