- Date
- May 4, 1990, 14:49 local (20:49 UTC)
- Place
- Roswell, NM
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N233RKCanadair CT-133
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900504015929A
- Case key
- 17831
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 pilot-in-command's performance of aerobatic maneuvers that exceeded the design stress limits of the aircraft, resulting in catastrophic failure of the wing.
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
Acft was on promotional flight for media personnel the day before 'spectacular air show' was scheduled to open. Pax was local radio station manager and newly rated private plt, who told ground crew he hoped the pilot would demonstrate aerobatics. Witnesses saw acft performing aerobatics 7 minutes after takeoff. Acft impacted desert terrain and exploded. Both tip tanks, outboard wing panels, and ailerons were found approximately 1-1/4 mile from main impact area. Metallurgical examination disclosed catastrophic wing spar failure due to negative bending overload. There was evidence of at least one over-travel up and one over-travel down of both ailerons. No pre-existing or fatigue cracks, or evidence of aileron flutter was found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N233RK
- Reported as
- Canadair CT-133
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 273
- Engine
- Rolls-Royce NENE-10, 5,100 lbs thrust, turbo jet
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Red Knight Air Shows, doing business as Red Knight Air Shows
- Registered owner
- Frank C. Sanders
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- ROW · Roswell, NM
- Destination
- ROW
- Airport
- ROW · Roswell Industrial Air Ct
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 75 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ROW, 17 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.