What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 04/09/2022 @1242 MST, a Taylorcraft BL65, N24345, privacy data omitted, crashed while attempting an emergency landing on a dirt field. The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. The flight originated from farmington NM at approximately 1200 MST and concluded at Counselor, NM. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a VFR flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The commercial pilot was injured and the atp-rated passenger was fatally injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged.
We estimate the airplane was at or above gross weight and the estimated density altitude of 9700 ft. wittnesses confirmed the engine was running but the airplane was unable to maintain its altitude. The aircrew attempted an emergency landing in a field and upon touchdown crashed then went inverted until final resting location.
We have been unable to interview the pilot due to severe injuries. If/when able we will update the report. In addition, an operations safety inspector will be involved to determine appropriate follow up action as needed.
In summary, this report is being closed and will be amended if/when more pertinent information becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
ON 04/09/2022 @1242 MST, A TAYLORCRAFT BL65, N24345, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT FIELD. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FARMINGTON NM AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 MST AND CONCLUDED AT COUNSELOR, NM. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS INJURED AND THE ATP-RATED PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
WE ESTIMATE THE AIRPLANE WAS AT OR ABOVE GROSS WEIGHT AND THE ESTIMATED DENSITY ALTITUDE OF 9700 FT. WITTNESSES CONFIRMED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING BUT THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS ALTITUDE. THE AIRCREW ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD AND UPON TOUCHDOWN CRASHED THEN WENT INVERTED UNTIL FINAL RESTING LOCATION.
WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO INTERVIEW THE PILOT DUE TO SEVERE INJURIES. IF/WHEN ABLE WE WILL UPDATE THE REPORT. IN ADDITION, AN OPERATIONS SAFETY INSPECTOR WILL BE INVOLVED TO DETERMINE APPROPRIATE FOLLOW UP ACTION AS NEEDED.
IN SUMMARY, THIS REPORT IS BEING CLOSED AND WILL BE AMENDED IF/WHEN MORE PERTINENT INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.