# NTSB WPR23LA209: Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina Virus SW, N69PV, Santa Fe, NM, May 30, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 30, 2023, 14:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place: Santa Fe, NM
- Coordinates: 35.617111, -106.08941 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6171&lon=-106.0894&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 192303
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA209
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192303/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192303
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA209

## Probable cause

An encounter with a downdraft during landing that resulted in a hard landing and the pilot’s loss of control.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded; cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000/cases.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=056321O), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he experienced severe turbulence within about 10 miles of the airport as he was approaching to land. He further reported that during the landing, the airplane encountered a downdraft and bounced on touchdown. The airplane exited the runway to the left onto an adjacent grass area and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation during landing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N69PV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N69PV), registered now, S/N 709 SWN 100 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPISTREL DOO AJDOVSCINA VIRUS SW
- Registry model: [Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW](https://openairdocs.org/model/pipistrel-doo-ajdovscina-virus-sw) (registry code 056321O) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls2) (registry code 55599, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 709 SWN 100
- Airframe hours: 210
- Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Condition, May 9, 2023, 5 hours before
- Departed: 0E0, Moriarty, NM
- Destination: KSAF, Sante Fe, NM
- Airport: SAF, Santa Fe Municipal Airport, runway 33, 8,366 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; last flight review July 15, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 5,600 total, 330 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observed at: KSAF
- METAR: KSAF 301953Z COR 24009KT 10SM CLR 26/M06 A3008 RMK AO2 SLP089 T02561056

## 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 20230530014209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230530014209A), May 30, 2023: Pipistrel Doo Ajdovscina VIRUS SW, Santa Fe, NM, Substantial damage. On may 30, 2023, at approximately 1405 MDT, a Pipistrel Virus Sw, a fixed wing expertimental single-engine-land aircraft, [privacy data omitted] was involved…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 16, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192303. 23.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16288388&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N69PV%20FORM%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 21.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16289620&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N69PV%20Damage%20Photos_Redacted-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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