# NTSB CEN12CA673: Davis Mark Davis KR-1, N6155X, Albuquerque, NM, September 25, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 25, 2012, 14:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.145, -106.794998 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1450&lon=-106.7950&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO Albuquerque - NTSB case key (mKey): 85346 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12CA673 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/85346/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85346 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA673 ## Probable cause The loss of control during landing/flare resulting from the pilot's decision to land in high wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the gusting wind and sudden wind shift during a critical phase of landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Wind: sudden wind shift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 114 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis Enroute during a day VFR cross country flight, the expected weather conditions deteriorated near the intended destination airport. The reported weather included convective activity with wind from 300 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 35 knots. Convective cells were visible around the airport. The pilot radioed his intentions to land on runway 22 and entered a right downwind. The pilot said that his weather radar was indicating that conditions had worsened. The wind had increased significantly, it was raining, and the pilot started to see lightning on his weather radar instruments. The pilot considered going to another airport, however, he thought that the surrounding weather gave him no other options but to land. On final approach, the crosswind was much greater than expected so the pilot executed a go-around. It appeared, according to the windsock, that runway 35 was a better choice for landing. The tower air traffic controller cleared the pilot to land on runway 35. The pilot lined up on final approach toward the left edge of the runway because the wind was still gusting a lot (about 70 degrees from the left), and he knew that there would be some drift. He carried a bit more airspeed on final in an attempt to maintain better control to touchdown. The airplane was in a hard slip/crab into the wind with the left wing low. Passing over the runway numbers, the airplane's nose was faced into the wind and was still being pushed across the runway. It seemed that all was going well, and just before the pilot thought the airplane was going to touch down, without notice, the left wing lifted the and the airplane rolled into about 80 degrees right bank. The airplane was blown nearly feet off the runway and the pilot immediately applied full power. After rolling to the left, the airplane settled and slammed into the ground, bounced, and became airborne again before impacting the ground in a nose down attitude. The airplane slid about 75 feet before coming to rest. The fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained structural damage. No mechanical anomalies were found. ## Factual narrative Enroute during a day VFR cross country flight, the expected weather conditions deteriorated near the intended destination airport. The reported weather included convective activity with wind from 300 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 35 knots. Convective cells were visible around the airport. The pilot radioed his intentions to land on runway 22 and entered a right downwind. The pilot said that his weather radar was indicating that conditions had worsened. The wind had increased significantly, it was raining, and the pilot started to see lightning on his weather radar instruments. The pilot considered going to another airport, however, he thought that the surrounding weather gave him no other options but to land. On final approach, the crosswind was much greater than expected so the pilot executed a go-around. It appeared, according to the windsock, that runway 35 was a better choice for landing. The tower cleared the pilot to land on runway 35. The pilot lined up on final approach toward the left edge of the runway because the wind was still gusting a lot (about 70 degrees from the left), and he knew that there would be some drift. He carried a bit more airspeed on final in an attempt to maintain better control to touchdown. The airplane was in a hard slip/crab into the wind with the left wing low. Passing over the runway numbers, the airplane's nose was faced into the wind and was still being pushed across the runway. It seemed that all was going well, and just before the pilot thought the airplane was going to touch down, without notice, the left wing lifted the and the airplane rolled into about 80 degrees right bank. The airplane was blown nearly feet off the runway and the pilot immediately applied full power. After rolling to the left, the airplane settled and slammed into the ground, bounced, and became airborne again before impacting the ground in a nose down attitude. The airplane slid about 75 feet before coming to rest. The fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained structural damage. No mechanical anomalies were found. ## Aircraft - Registration: N6155X (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: DAVIS MARK DAVIS KR-1 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 21551 - Airframe hours: 600 - Engines: VOLKSWAGEN CONVERSION 36 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Steve Glover - Registered owner: Steve Glover - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 1, 2012 - Departed: INW, Winslow, AZ - Destination: TDW, Amarillo, TX - Airport: AEG, Double Eagle II, runway 35 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 25, 2010; seat: single; flight hours: 1,100 total, 750 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 300° at 24 knots, gusting 35 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: ABQ, 12 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120925022009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120925022009A), Sep 25, 2012: Davis Mark DAVIS KR-1, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. On September 25, 2012 at 1411 MST, an amateur built mark Davis Davis KR1, N6155X, with expired registeration, crashed during landing at Double Eagle II… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=85346. 5.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396733&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 Accident Site and Wreckage (item 2, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40396735&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20Accident%20Site%20and%20Wreckage-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.