Piper PA-22-150 accident near Ramon, New Mexico, March 15, 1983
On March 15, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N1841P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ramon, New Mexico. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ramon, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N1841P · no longer on the register · serial 22-2621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT DEPARTED OKLAHOMA CITY, OK WITH EN ROUTE STOPS PLANNED AT AMARILLO, TX TUCUMCARI, NM. AT TUCUMCARI, THE OCCUPANTS FOUND THEMSELVES 'STAGGERING A LITTLE' & CONCLUDED THIS WAS FROM EXPOSURE TO HI ALT (EN ROUTE 6500 FT, TUCUMCARI, 4065 FT). AFTER LEVELING AT 9600 FT ON THE NEXT LEG OF THE PLT, THE RGT FNT SEAT OCCUPANT BECAME NAUSEOUS, VOMITED & FELL ASLEEP. THE PLT BEGAN FEELING SLEEPY & PASSED OUT (FROM CARBON MONOXIDE). THE ACFT BEGAN A CIRCLING DESCENT & EFFORTS BY THE BACK SEAT OCCUPANTS TO REVIVE THOSE IN THE FNT SEATS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, EXCEPT BRIEFLY, WHEN THE PLT ASKED 'WHERE IS THE RWY.' A 15 YR OLD PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT BY REACHING BETWEEN THE SEATS, BUT THE ACFT HIT A FENCE DURING AN EMERGENCY FLARE-TOUCHDOWN. MULTIPLE EXHAUST CRACKS/LEAKS WERE FOUND IN THEHEATER-MUFFLER. THE ACFT HAD RECENT ANNUAL & 100 HR INSPECTIONS. THE MECHANICS REPORTED, EXHAUST AD/INSPECTIONS WERE MADE. THE OWNER HAD PERFORMED SOME OF HIS OWN MAINTENANCE, BUT HAD ALLOWED OPERATION WITH SEVERAL DISCREPANCIES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1982; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TCC Tucumcari NM at 9:30 pm
- Destination: E80 Bellen NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from ROW, 53 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.