# NTSB DEN91DQA01: Young 2/3 Scale, N51DY, Alamogordo, NM, November 10, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: November 10, 1990, 11:36 local (18:36 UTC)
- Place: Alamogordo, NM
- Coordinates: 32.880653, -105.949363 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8807&lon=-105.9494&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17999
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN91DQA01
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17999/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN91DQA01

## Probable cause

PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final
  - powerplant - undetermined (cause)
  - planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - aborted takeoff - not performed, pilot in command
- Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final
  - precautionary landing - attempted, pilot in command
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

ON THE FIRST FLIGHT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH WHAT NUMEROUS WITNESSES DESCRIBED AS A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE FLIGHT PATH AFTER TAKEOFF WAS A PATTERN FOR A RETURN TO LANDING FLOWN AT LESS THAN NORMAL PATTERN ALTITUDE. DURING THE TURN TO FINAL, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO STALL AND ROLL AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL FOLLOWED BY A STEEP IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT AND GROUND FIRE.  NO REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE APPARENT LOST OF POWER.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N51DY (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: YOUNG 2/3 SCALE
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 448051
- Engines: GESHWENDER FORD V8 400 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Young, Ira
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: ALM
- Airport: ALM, White Sands, runway 21, 7,005 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; toxicology performed; flight hours: 4,300 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: HMN, 6 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 19901110049589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19901110049589A), Nov 10, 1990: Amtrst P51AMTR, Alamogordo, NM, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On maiden flight reported rough engine. Flew tight pattern stalled and spun in.

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.

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