Piper PA-22-160 accident near Farmington, New Mexico, August 23, 1992
On August 23, 1992 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N8841D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE AND THE PILOT'S DELAYED USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. A FACTOR WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 23, 1992 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N8841D · no longer on the register · serial 6011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DOING TOUCH AND GOES AND FOLLOWING THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT ADDED POWER FOR TAKEOFF. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL AND APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY A TOTAL ENGINE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR THE RUNWAY; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED BELOW THE RUNWAY ELEVATION. DURING THE LANDING IN A WOODED AREA THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 64 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THE DEW POINT WAS 57 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, RESULTING IN SERIOUS ICING CONDITIONS AT GLIDE POWER.
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: 103 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 103 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 1980
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FMN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from FMN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.