# NTSB WPR23LA178: Universal Globe GC-1A, N80892, Belen, NM, May 7, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 7, 2023, 13:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place: Belen, NM · KBRG
- Coordinates: 34.645862, -106.83634
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6459&lon=-106.8363&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 114703
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA178
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/114703/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=114703
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA178

## Probable cause

The airplane’s encounter with downdraft on takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control.

## Findings

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

- [Wind: sudden wind shift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Universal GLOBE GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md?model=9230110), [All aircraft, 114 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Universal GLOBE GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=9230110), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot; cases with it: [Universal GLOBE GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=9230110), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390) (defining event); cases with it: [Universal GLOBE GC-1A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md?model=9230110), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/390/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that while taking off, the wind shifted to a strong quartering tailwind. The airplane settled to the ground and the propeller contacted the runway before the landing gear could be extended by the pilot. The pilot and passenger exited the airplane unharmed. The airplane was destroyed by the postcrash fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N80892](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N80892-2024-06-24), registration cancelled 2024-06-24, S/N 295, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: UNIVERSAL GLOBE GC-1A
- Registry model: [Universal GLOBE GC-1A](https://openairdocs.org/model/universal-globe-gc-1a) (registry code 9230110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental C125 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c125-series) (registry code 17011, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 295
- Year built: 1946
- Airframe hours: 1464.1
- Engines: Continental Motors C-125-2 125 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 17, 2023, 18.3 hours before
- Departed: KBRG, Belen, NM
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: BRG, Belen Rgnl, runway 31, 5,280 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 15, 2023; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 19,200 total, 18 in this make and model, 1,700 as pilot in command, 79 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Turbulence: Moderate
- Observed at: KBRG
- METAR: KBRG 071935Z AUTO 20006G14KT 10SM CLR 27/M10 A3004 RMK AO2 T02661100

## 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 20230507012069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230507012069A), May 7, 2023: Universal GLOBE GC-1A, Belen, NM, Substantial damage. On may 7, 2023, at approximately 1340 MDT, a Universal globe GC-1A, a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft,[privacy data omitted] was involved in an accident at…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=114703. 3.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15553942&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20N80892_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum of record - 6120 complete narrative (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 265 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15554218&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20complete%20Narrative%20WPR23LA178%20N80892_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- FAA accident wx package (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 637 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15554795&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=BRG%20WX%205-7-2023-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 534 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15554142&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR23LA178%20Pic%20N80892-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.

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