- Date
- July 22, 2003, 10:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Angel Fire, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N60VACessna A185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Albuquerque FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030722021469A
- Case key
- 57558
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 instructor's inadequate supervision which resulted in the pilot's loss of directional control and the subsequent impact with the ditch. Contributing factors include the instructor's inadequate remedial action and the inadvertent ground loop/swerve.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The instructor stated that this was a "re-familiarization" flight for the pilot and that the pilot also wanted a better understanding of flying in and around the airport. With the private pilot at the controls, they entered the traffic pattern and set up for a touch-and-go landing on runway 17. The landing was uneventful, and the pilot slowed the airplane down to approximately 10 to 15 knots. When the pilot added power for take-off, the airplane swerved to the left and the airplane's left main landing gear departed the left side of the runway. As the pilot applied rudder and aileron control to recover, the airplane veered to the right across the runway. When the airplane departed the right side of the runway, the instructor called out "I've got it." The airplane ground-looped to the right and struck a ditch between the runway and taxiway.
Factual narrative
On July 22, 2003, at 1050 mountain daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N60VA, operated by JAMBRO INC., was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a touch-and-go landing at Angel Fire Airport (AXX), Angel Fire, New Mexico. The airline transport certificated instructor, and a private pilot receiving instruction, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Santa Fe, New Mexico, at approximately 0940.
The instructor stated that this was a "re-familiarization" flight for the pilot and that the pilot also wanted a better understanding of flying in and around Angel Fire. With the private pilot at the controls, they entered the traffic pattern and set up for a touch-and-go landing on runway 17. The landing was uneventful, and the pilot slowed the airplane down to approximately 10 to 15 knots. When the pilot added power for take-off, the airplane swerved to the left and the airplane's left main landing gear departed the left side of the runway. As the pilot applied rudder and aileron control to recover, the airplane veered to the right across the runway. When the airplane departed the right side of the runway, the instructor called out "I've got it." The airplane ground-looped to the right and struck a ditch between the runway and taxiway. The airplane's left main landing gear collapsed inward, the engine mount was displaced, the firewall was buckled, and the outboard 3 feet of the left wing was bent upward approximately 30 degrees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60VA
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503141
- Airframe hours
- 2,350.7
- Engine
- Continental IO 520D, 315 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jambro Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 22, 2003 · 2.2 hours before
- Departed
- SAF · Sante Fe, NM
- Destination
- AXX · Angel Fire, NM
- Airport
- AXX · Angel Fire, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2003
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command
- Role
- Pilot
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.