# Accident 19990326022059A: Diamon DA20A1, Coyote, NM, March 26, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 26, 1999, 21:00 local time
- Place: Coyote, NM
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1103° N, 106.6599° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1103&lon=-106.6599&mi=10
- Aircraft: N528SS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N528SS-2015-05-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-A1 (registry code 2990000, https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-a1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DIAMON DA20A1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 413 total, 29 in this make and model, 108 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990326022059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(FROM .4) THE PILOT AND HIS PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE FLYING CROSS-COUNTRY FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT ASSUMED THE ROLE OF PIC FOR THE LEG FROM DURANGO TO THEIR INTENDED DESTINATION OF SANTA FE.  DURING A STOP EARLIER IN THE DAY IN LAS VEGAS, THE PASSENGER CHECKED THE WEATHER USING A COMPUTER LOCATED IN THE TERMINAL, WHICH CALLED FOR LOW CLOUDS AND A NARROW TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT SPREAD AT THE AIRPORT IN SANTA FE.  HE DID NOT OBTAIN SIGMETS.  WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, HE AND HIS PASSENGER BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER SNOW, FOG AND RAIN.  WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB, HE ENTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE TREES IN A 90 RIGHT BANK AND AT A 45 DEGREE DOWNWARD PITCH.  THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION ALONG A 45 DEGREE INCLINING MOUNTAINOUS SLOPE COVERED BY SEVERAL FEET OF SNOW.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT IFR EQUIPPED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN99LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA060), Mar 27, 1999: Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-A1 (N528SS), Coyote, NM, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's inadvertent flight into adverse weather, and his continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors were his failure to obtain an updated recorded weather…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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