Crash of Piper Comanche

On October 20, 2019, about 8:45 a.m. local time, a Piper PA-24, N7742P, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Angel Fire, NM. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured.

According to friends of the pilot who stated they had helped with the refueling and preflight of the accident airplane that morning, this was his first time flying into Angel Fire Airport (AXX). The pilot stated to his friends that he was going to depart to the south and then head back toward the airport because of the winds and to gain altitude. The pilot started the engine and let it warm up for about 10-15 minutes. The airplane taxied to the departure end of runway 17 where the pilot performed an engine run-up and magneto checks. The pilot's friends watched as the airplane started its takeoff roll and became airborne a little a past halfway down the runway. Shortly thereafter, they saw the airplane's landing gear retract and soon lost sight of the airplane behind the parallel taxiway, which rises in elevation above the runway. An eyewitness was driving north when she saw the airplane flying south from the airport which was located on the east side of the highway. The airplane was very low and it appeared to be struggling to remain in flight. The airplane turned right to fly over the road and toward the eyewitness, who subsequently drove her vehicle into the ditch alongside the highway. As the airplane was descending, it appeared to the eyewitness that the airplane was preparing to land on the road. The eyewitness noticed a section of power lines that cross the road in front of her location and hoped that the airplane was going avoid hitting them. As the airplane approached the power lines, the airplane pitched up and turned to the west, impacting trees, a building, and the terrain. Several other witnesses saw the airplane as is departed the airport and described the airplane as unstable.

The 65-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with rating for multiengine land, single engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent third-class FAA medical certificate was issued on 3/7/19. At that time, he reported 1,000 total hours of flight experience and 15 flight hours in the last 6 months. The pilot's logbooks were not located during the investigation. There was no evidence found that showed that the pilot had any mountain flying training or experience.

The airplane's two fuel tanks had a total capacity of 60 gallons. According to airport personnel, on the morning of the accident flight, the airplane was fueled with ~20 gal, which filled both tanks. Published manufacturer performance data for takeoff distance exists for altitudes from sea level up to 6,000' based on standard temperature and pressure. The expected takeoff ground roll could not be determined for the accident takeoff as the environmental conditions exceeded those used in the calculations provided by the manufacturer when the airplane was manufactured. Approximate weight and balance requirements were calculated and were found to be within the normal operating envelope. According to pilot's operating handbook's crosswind component graph, the airplane would have experienced about a 9 kt crosswind and about a 2 kt tailwind.

A weather study using the approximate airport elevation, temperature, dew point temperature and altimeter from AXX, calculated density altitude at 845 at the surface to be 9,360' msl.

At 845 MDT, about the time of the accident, AIRMET TANGO was issued for moderate turbulence below FL180, strong surface winds and LLWS potential for areas that included the accident site.

AXX is situated at an elevation of 8,379' msl. It has one runway, 17/35, which is 8,900' x 100'. Runway 17 has an average uphill gradient of .64% and a difference of about 57' between its ends. Signage before entering the runway area cautions pilots about the field elevation and reminds pilots of their airplane's performance at that elevation. The airport directory describes the airport as in a mountain valley, with rising terrain in all directions, strong gusty crosswinds possible, and high-density altitude probable.

There was no evidence of in-flight airframe, engine, or flight control malfunction or failure.

According to the pilot's autopsy report, the cause of death was blunt trauma and the manner of death was an accident.

The autopsy identified moderate-to-severe multivessel coronary artery disease with two coronary artery stents present. There was an area of old heart muscle scarring and microscopic changes consistent with old heart attack. Amlodipine, metoprolol, and atorvastatin were detected in heart blood and urine, as well as clopidogrel in urine.

The NTSB investigation is ongoing.

00:00 Accident video
01:04 Body camera
08:07 Friends, Witness
10:40 Crime scene
11:49 Witness
18:00 FAA interview
24:47 Video #2, investigatory material
36:52 Scene photos

The title sequence misidentifies the aircraft as a Cherokee. It is a Comanche.

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