20150618009899A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Northwing Design APACHE SPORT · Taos, NM · June 18, 2015

Date: June 18, 2015 · 07:40 local
Place: Taos, NM
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N51311
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15FA277
Reported as: Northwing Design Apache Sport
Reported engine: ROTAX 582
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Sport pilot

N51311Registration cancelled Aug 29, 2017 · Northwing Design APACHE SPORTS/N 41746 · Built 2003 Airframe modelNorthwing Design APACHE SPORT Engine modelRotax 582SER2 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot departed Taos, NM (kskx) on a local flight at approximately 0740 MDT. After departure from runway 22, witnesses observed the aircraft make a 90 degree right turn followed by a left turn. As the aircraft was turning left, the nose pitched down at a steep angle until impact with the ground. The pilot was fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT DEPARTED TAOS, NM (KSKX) ON A LOCAL FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 0740 MDT. AFTER DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 22, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT MAKE A 90 DEGREE RIGHT TURN FOLLOWED BY A LEFT TURN. AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS TURNING LEFT, THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AT A STEEP ANGLE UNTIL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN15FA277Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportTaos, NMThe powered-lift aircraft's departure from controlled flight for reasons that could not be determined from the available information.Jun 18, 2015 · Substantial damage