- Date
- May 2, 2015, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Moriarty, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N993SSchmidt Donald L GS1 Glastar
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150502009929A
- Case key
- 91126
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 inadvertent encounter with a microburst while maneuvering near mountainous terrain, which resulted in a off airport landing and impact with terrain.
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
While maneuvering in mountainous terrain about 700 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered "an extreme clear-air [sic] microburst." The pilot was unable to control the descent rate and executed an off-airport landing. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
While maneuvering in mountainous terrain about 700 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered "an extreme clear-air [sic] microburst." The pilot was unable to control the descent rate and executed an off-airport landing. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) from the pilot were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N993S
- Reported as
- Schmidt Donald L GS1 Glastar (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5917
- Built
- 2008
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D1F, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Moriarty, NM
- Destination
- Roswell, NM
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
- 69
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 23 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- 0E0, 5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 110 KB 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.