# NTSB CEN18LA012: Globe GC 1A, N90365, Los Lunas, NM, October 9, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 9, 2017, 14:25 local (20:25 UTC) - Place: Los Lunas, NM - Coordinates: 34.761112, -106.745002 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7611&lon=-106.7450&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report October 10, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 96189 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA012 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96189/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96189 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA012 ## Probable cause The loss of directional control during takeoff and impact with a steel culvert. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Globe GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=9230102), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Globe GC-1A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=9230102), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337); cases with it: [Globe GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md?model=9230102), [All aircraft, 290 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Globe GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=9230102), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Globe GC-1A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=9230102), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane arrived to the airport as a refuel stop the day before the accident. During the landing, the airplane ground looped and sustained unknown damage to the airplane. Over the course of that day and the day of the accident, the pilot, who was also a mechanic, completed repairs to the airplane with the assistance from persons at the airport. A portion of the repairs included welding to the right main landing gear link assemblies, and any additional repairs to the airplane were unknown. During takeoff the day following the ground loop, the airplane veered to the left of the runway and struck a berm. The airplane became airborne and then impacted a steel culvert structure adjacent to the runway. The pilot died of his injuries 17 days after the accident. Persons who spoke to the pilot before and after the accident reported the pilot had minimal flying experience in recent years in the accident airplane. The pilot stated during his hospital stay after the accident that there were no mechanical issues during the accident takeoff. ## Factual narrative The airplane records were not located during the investigation. On October 9, 2017, about 1425 mountain daylight time, a Globe Swift GC-1A airplane, N90365, impacted a steel culvert structure following a loss of control during takeoff from the Mid Valley Airpark (E98), Los Lunas, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating from E98 at the time of the accident and was destined for Las Vegas, Nevada. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, the airplane arrived at E98 the day before the accident as a refuel stop after attending a Swift airplane event in Texas. During the landing at E98, the airplane ground looped and sustained unknown damage to the airplane. Over the course of that day and the day of the accident, the pilot, who was also a mechanic, completed repairs to the airplane with assistance from persons at the airport. A portion of the repairs included welding to the right main landing gear link assemblies, and any additional repairs to the airplane were unknown. During takeoff from runway 36 (4,332 ft long by 37 ft wide) at E98 on the day of the accident, the airplane veered to the left of the runway and struck a berm. The airplane became airborne and then impacted a steel culvert structure adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot died in the hospital on October 26, 2017. On October 27, 2017, an autopsy was performed by the Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to the autopsy, the cause of death was listed as pneumonia due to blunt trauma. Toxicology tests were not performed due to the lack of available specimens on, or near, the date of the accident. According to persons who had spoken to the pilot at the event in Texas and after the accident, the pilot had minimal flying experience in recent years in the accident airplane. The persons also reported the pilot stated during his hospital stay that he did not indicate there were any mechanical issues during the accident takeoff. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed the left main landing gear link assemblies were broken. It was not determined if the broken link assemblies were a result of damage sustained during the ground loop the day prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90365](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90365-2019-01-07), registration cancelled 2019-01-07, S/N 379, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GLOBE GC 1A (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Globe GC-1A](https://openairdocs.org/model/globe-gc-1a) (registry code 9230102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 379 - Year built: 1946 - Engines: Lycoming IA-360-A1A reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: E98, Los Lunas, NM - Destination: Las Vegas, NV - Airport: E98, Mid Valley Airpark, runway 36, 4,332 × 37 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 1, 2016; seat: left; flight hours: 3,275 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 15 knots, gusting 23 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: E80, 8 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 20171009014509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171009014509A), Oct 9, 2017: Globe GC-1A, Los Lunas, NM, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. On 9 October 2017, at approximately 1425 mountain daylight time, a Globe swift GC-1A airplane, N90365, impacted a steel culvert structure in an irrigation… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 13, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96189. 6.4 MB in all. - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 1, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466645&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Wilson (item 2, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466646&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Wilson-Master.PDF - Parts Catalog - Landing Gear System (item 3, .PDF, 5.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466647&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Parts%20Catalog%20-%20Landing%20Gear%20System-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 4, .PDF, 437 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466648&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-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.