ALBUQUERQUE, NM, USA
N23ST
Morane-Saulnier MS760
THE PILOT, A HEART TRANSPLANT SURGEON, WAS ADVISED OF A DONOR IN LAS CRUCES, NM. HE AND A PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT WERE TO FLY TO LAS CRUCES, RETRIEVE THE DONOR HEART, AND RETURN TO ALBUQUERQUE, WHERE THE TRANSPLANT WAS TO BE PERFORMED. THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING (VMC WAS FORECAST) AND FILED AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN. HE FUELED THE JET AIRCRAFT TO CAPACITY AND TOOK OFF INTO A DARK, CLEAR, MOONLESS NIGHT TOWARDS OPEN, FLAT TERRAIN WITH FEW GROUND LIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED SECONDS LATER. IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING/NOSE SLIGHTLY LOW ATTITUDE AT HIGH SPEED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINES, INSTRUMENTS, OR CONTROLS. THE PILOT HAD BEEN AWAKE FOR 22 HOURS WITH LITTLE OR NO REST. HE WAS NOT CURRENT FOR NIGHT FLIGHT. HIS IFR CURRENCY COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, PILOT FATIGUE, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN NIGHT FLYING OPERATION.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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