# NTSB WPR23FA138: Aerotrike Cobra, Santa Teresa, NM, April 1, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: April 1, 2023, 07:35 local (13:35 UTC) - Place: Santa Teresa, NM · Dona Ana County International Jetport Airport - Coordinates: 31.863557, -106.69264 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8636&lon=-106.6926&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 106945 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23FA138 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106945/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106945 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA138 ## Probable cause The pilot’s exceedance of the aircraft’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation; cases with it: [All aircraft, 63 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01020000/cases.md) - [Inspection: preflight inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 551 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061510/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting a personal flight in the weight-shift-control aircraft. A friend of the pilot, who was flying in the area in his powered parachute, witnessed the accident aircraft flying in level flight toward his position. When he looked back, the aircraft was turning toward him, and shortly thereafter, he saw the aircraft in a flat spin that continued until it impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage at the accident site revealed that the parachute likely deployed from its containment bag as a result of ground impact forces. The parachute T-handle remained in the handle mount and the safety pin was found adjacent to the pin hole area. The safety pin engagement surface area exhibited less sooting residue than the head of the pin, consistent with it being installed in the T-handle mount at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the aircraft’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin and loss of control. ## Factual narrative On April 1, 2023, about 0735 mountain daylight time, N3517Q (expired registration number), Aerotrike Cobra weight-shift-control (WSC) light sport aircraft was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to family members, the pilot departed from Dona Ana County International Jetport Airport (DNA), Santa Teresa, New Mexico, the morning of the accident. The pilot planned to meet up with a friend who was flying in the area. The friend, who was conducting an instructional tandem flight in a powered parachute, witnessed the accident aircraft north of his position, in level flight about 1,100 ft above ground level (agl). He then saw the trike turn south towards his position. Shortly thereafter, he saw the accident aircraft in a flat spin that continued until it impacted the ground. He further stated that the engine appeared to be operating normally, and he didn’t see anything broken or deformed with the wing while it was in the spin. Nearby witnesses reported hearing the impact with the ground and subsequent explosion. An examination of the accident site revealed that the aircraft impacted a street surface near an intersection. A small area fire ensued, consuming some of the wreckage and portions of nearby trees. The wing structure and carriage, which remained attached, displayed impact and thermal damage. The airframe parachute system had activated, and the parachute deployed from its containment bag and remained in the parachute sleeve. The parachute T-handle remained in the handle mount and the safety pin was found adjacent to the pin hole area. The safety pin engagement surface area exhibited less sooting residue than the head of the pin. (See figures 1 and 2.) Figure 1-Accident site, parachute T-handle and pin. Figure 2-Accident site, parachute T-handle and pin. Handle moved from postaccident position. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Office of the Medical Investigator at the University of New Mexico. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was blunt trauma, and the manner of death was accident. The pilot’s logbook did not reveal any flight experience or training in a WSC trike. ## Aircraft - Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Aerotrike Cobra - Category: Weight-shift, amateur-built - Serial number: AC 20011 - Year built: 2001 - Engines: Rotax 503 DCDI 52 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: None - Airport: DNA, Dona Ana County International Jetport Airport - Equipment: Video recording device, Airframe parachute ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 8, 2016; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 214 total, 171 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 30.21 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KDNA, 1 nm away - METAR: KDNA 011335Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 04/M18 A3021 RMK AO2 ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106945. 2.7 MB in all. - FAA record of interview-vella (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 180 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18084123&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Record%20of%20Interview-Vella_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array-(courtesy of the el paso soaring association) (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 515 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18263868&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Airplane%20Prior%20to%20Accident-Rel.pdf - NTSB accident site and wreckage examination report (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18108827&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23FA138%20Accident%20Site%20and%20Wreckage%20Examination-Rel.pdf - Record of memorandum-family member (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18109303&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record-Family%20Member-Rel.pdf - Faa-findings on the unregistered aircraft cui (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 157 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18085102&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Findings%20regarding%20the%20unregistered%20ultralight%20accident%20CUI-Rel.pdf 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.