ALBUQUERQUE, NM, USA
N64263
CESSNA 172M
DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT FLEW INTO THE WEST FACE OF THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS AT ABOUT THE 9000 FT LEVEL. BEFORE THE COLLISION, THE STUDENT PILOT CONTACTED ALBUQUERQUE APCH CONTROL & STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING EASTBOUND OVER THE RIO GRANDE RIVER & WAS GOING INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE MOUNTAINS. HE REQUESTED THAT HIS FRIEND IN MISSOURI BE CALLED & PROVIDED THE PHONE NUMBER AS WELL AS SPELLING THE NAMES OF HIS FRIEND & HIMSELF. WHEN THE CONTROLLER INQUIRED ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, THE PLT DID NOT SPECIFY. LATER, A SUICIDE NOTE WAS FOUND AT THE PLT'S HOME & FRIENDS REPORTED HE HAD BEEN VERY DESPONDENT SINCE SEPARATION FROM HIS WIFE IN MARCH 1989.
THE PILOT DELIBERATELY FLEW HIS AIRCRAFT INTO THE FACE OF A MOUNTAIN. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION OF THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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