- Date
- July 11, 2009, 09:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Angel Fire, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N70QTAero Commander 680-F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090711013629A
- Case key
- 74262
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the initial takeoff.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial rated pilot began his takeoff roll using normal takeoff power and configuration. As the pilot began back pressure on the yoke to start rotation, the airplane began to drift left of the runway centerline. Right rudder was applied and the airplane drift slowed but the control correction was not sufficient and the airplane departed the runway. The pilot still had full power applied and added full right rudder and aileron to avoid several parked aircraft on the apron. The airplane clipped a barbed wire fence as it departed the runway coming to rest upright in a pasture perpendicular to the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed, the nose gear collapsed, the left engine and propeller, and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot and his passenger were uninjured and egressed normally.
Factual narrative
The commercial-rated pilot began his takeoff roll using normal takeoff power and configuration. As the pilot began back pressure on the yoke to start rotation, the airplane began to drift left of the runway centerline. He then applied right rudder and the airplane drift slowed but the control correction was not sufficient and the airplane departed the runway. The pilot still had full power applied and added full right rudder and aileron to avoid several parked aircraft on the apron. The airplane clipped a barbed wire fence as it departed the runway, coming to rest upright in a pasture perpendicular to the runway. The left main landing and nose gear collapsed, and the left engine, propeller, and both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot and his passenger were uninjured and egressed normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N70QT
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 680-F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1208-109
- Engines
- Lycoming IGSO-540-B1A, 380 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming IGSO-540-B1A, 380 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KAXX · Angel Fire, NM
- Destination
- KMTJ · Montrose, CO
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KAXX · Angel Fire Airport, runway 17, 8,900 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,258 total · 415 in this make and model · 2,100 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.56 inHg
- Observed at
- KAXX
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.