# NTSB WPR09CA135: Cosmos Phase 2, N4832, Salome, AZ, March 2, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 2, 2009, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place: Salome, AZ
- Coordinates: 33.666667, -113.900001 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6667&lon=-113.9000&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 11, 2009
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73416
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09CA135
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73416/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA135

## Probable cause

The pilot's encounter with a rut while landing on an unimproved dry lake bed.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [Cosmos PHASE 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=05901FK), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Cosmos PHASE 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05901FK), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During a landing on a dry lake bed the aircraft encountered a rut and nosed over. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear and the wings. The pilot reported that during the landing he did not see the rut until it was too late.

## Factual narrative

During a landing on a dry lake bed the aircraft encountered a rut and nosed over. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the nose gear and the wings. The pilot reported that during the landing he did not see the rut until it was too late.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4832](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4832-2021-04-03), registration cancelled 2021-04-03, S/N 21319, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COSMOS PHASE 2
- Registry model: [Cosmos PHASE 2](https://openairdocs.org/model/cosmos-phase-2) (registry code 05901FK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 582UL](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ul) (registry code 55558, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Weight-shift
- Serial number: 21319
- Airframe hours: 527
- Engines: ROTAX 582UL 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed: Salome, AZ
- Destination: Salome, AZ

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 76; injuries: none; student; medical: sport pilot; seat: center; flight hours: 27 total, 27 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BLH, 65 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 20090302004659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090302004659A), Mar 2, 2009: Cosmos PHASEII, Brenda, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted] is a sport pilot. He was landing on a dry lake bed when he realized too late that someone had driven across the area and left ruts…

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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