# NTSB DEN00LA117: Beech M35, N9304Y, Los Alamos, NM, June 23, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 23, 2000, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Los Alamos, NM - Coordinates: 35.889411, -106.279708 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8894&lon=-106.2797&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 18, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49510 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA117 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49510/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA117 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of distance/speed resulting in an overrun and subsequent collision with a blast fence. Contributing factors were high density altitude, a tailwind, and the blast fence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, landing - roll - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - wall/barricade (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot was completing a flight review and performing a full stop landing at the airport where the aircraft was based. The airport altitude was 7,171 feet msl, the temperature was 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and the density altitude was computed to be 9,300 feet. The wind was a 4 knot tailwind component. Thus, the ground speed was calculated to be 31 knots above the indicated airspeed and the pilot said he landed 'long and fast.' The aircraft went off the end of the runway during landing roll and struck the blast fence. The collision destroyed the aircraft; however, the private pilot and flight instructor check pilot were not injured. ## Factual narrative On June 23, 2000, at 1210 mountain daylight time, a Beech M35, N9304Y, sustained substantial damage when it departed the end of the runway and struck a blast fence during landing roll at Los Alamos, New Mexico. The private pilot in command, and the certified flight instructor check pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this biennial flight review operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Los Alamos at 1100. According to the pilot, after departing Los Alamos, he and the check pilot flew to Espanola, New Mexico, where he did some air work (slow flight, unusual attitudes, steep turns, etc.). Then they flew to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they did some touch and go landings. After leaving Santa Fe, they returned to Los Alamos, for a full stop landing on runway 27. In his statement, the pilot said he landed "long and fast" at Los Alamos and went off the end of the runway where the airplane struck a blast fence. According to the pilot, and later verified with the insurance adjuster, the aircraft was destroyed. Los Alamos Airport runway 27 is 7,171 feet above mean seal level, 5,500 feet in length, and 130 feet wide. The temperature at the airport during the accident time frame was 72 degrees Fahrenheit, (42 degrees above standard). Density altitude was computed to be 9,300 feet. Under those conditions true airspeed was approximately 27 knots faster than indicated airspeed. The wind was from 040 at 5 knots, which was a quartering tailwind computed at 4 knots tailwind component. Thus, the approach ground speed was computed to be 31 knots faster than the indicated airspeed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9304Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9304Y-2000-08-14), registration cancelled 2000-08-14, S/N D-6527 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech M35 - Registry model: [Beech M35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-m35) (registry code 1151526) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: D-6527 - Airframe hours: 4740 - Engines: Continental IO-470-C 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Registered owner: Hugh R. Lehman - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 24, 2000, 12 hours before - Departed: LAM - Airport: LAM, Los Alamos, runway 27, 5,550 × 130 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,005 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 3,000 as pilot in command, 13 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 5 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LAM, 1 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 20000623014699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000623014699A), Jun 23, 2000: Beech M35, Los Alamos, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 23, 2000, at approx. 1210 MDT, a Beech, BE-M35, N9304Y sustained substantial damage when the a/c departed the end of the rwy striking a blast… 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.