# NTSB WPR24FA052: Remos Remos GX, N449RA, Taylor, AZ, December 6, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: December 6, 2023, 07:44 local (14:44 UTC) - Place: Taylor, AZ · Midfield rwy 21 - Coordinates: 34.452337, -110.11532 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4523&lon=-110.1153&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Rotax-Rotech Flight Safety - NTSB case key (mKey): 193483 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24FA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193483/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193483 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA052 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to attempt takeoff with frost covering the airplane’s wings, which led to an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Environmental issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Remos REMOS GX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000/cases.md?model=060005Q), [All aircraft, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03030000/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Remos REMOS GX, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=060005Q), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Remos REMOS GX, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060005Q), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Remos REMOS GX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=060005Q), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Wing structure: flight surfaces (wing)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Remos REMOS GX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750/cases.md?model=060005Q), [All aircraft, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035750/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Remos REMOS GX, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=060005Q), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the light sport airplane was preparing to depart for a cross-country flight. A witness reported that when he arrived at the airport that morning, he saw the airplane on the parking ramp, not moored down, and the engine was running. As the airplane taxied through the ramp area, he saw that it was covered with frost. Soon after the witness had gone inside the airport office, he was notified from an airplane flying over the airport that an airplane had crashed on the runway. A photo of the accident site minutes after the accident revealed that the upper surfaces of the horizontal stabilizers were covered in frost. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the witness’s statement and photo evidence, the airplane likely had frost-contaminated wings, which the pilot did not remove before takeoff. His subsequent rotation of the airplane during takeoff with its lift capability degraded due to contamination of its flying surfaces resulted in exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall, and subsequent impact with the ground. ## Factual narrative On December 6, 2023, about 0744 mountain standard time, a light sport Remos GX airplane, N449RA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Taylor, Arizona. The sport pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot’s family, the airplane was to depart in the morning from Taylor Municipal Airport (TYL), Taylor, Arizona, with a destination of Glendale Municipal Airport (GEU), Glendale, Arizona. The TYL airport manager reported that when he arrived at the airport that morning, he saw the airplane on the parking ramp, not moored down, and with the engine running. He noticed that the airplane was covered with frost as it began to taxi in the parking ramp area. He thought that the pilot may have been taxiing into the sun to melt the frost that covered the airplane. He further reported that it is quite common that the airplanes are moved on the ramp in the morning to melt the frost before flight. The airport manager went inside to his office and, shortly after, received a call on the radio from an airplane flying over the airport that an airplane had crashed on the runway. The airplane impacted near the centerline of the runway about midfield and came to rest inverted on the left side of the runway. A photo of the accident site minutes after the accident revealed that the upper surfaces of the horizontal stabilizers were covered in frost. Figure 1-Accident site, frost covering the upper surfaces of the left horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the wreckage established flight control continuity from each of the flight control surfaces to the cabin controls. The flaps were found in the Up position, and the elevator trim tab was found in the Up position. Onboard instrumentation was removed to download any non-volatile memory, but no accident flight data was recovered. The examination of the engine and the airframe revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The Remos GX Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) describes raindrops and bugs affecting the performance of the airplane: “…raindrops and bugs affect the performance of the aircraft. Be aware that in these conditions the performance figures will not meet the published figures, as they apply to a clean aircraft under standard atmospheric conditions. Expect a significant drop in performance.” The FAA Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Chapter 12, page 12-15, pointed out that frost is a definite flight safety hazard: Frost disrupts the flow of air over the wing and can drastically reduce the production of lift. It also increases drag, which when combined with lowered lift production, can adversely affect the ability to take off. The handbook then stated on page 12-17: Aircraft that have ice, snow, or frost on their surfaces must be carefully cleaned prior to beginning a flight because ofthe possible airflow disruption and loss of lift. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N449RA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N449RA), registered now, S/N 258, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: REMOS AIRCRAFT GmbH Remos GX - Registry model: [Remos REMOS GX](https://openairdocs.org/model/remos-remos-gx) (registry code 060005Q) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 258 - Year built: 2008 - Engines: Rotax 912 UL-S 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Daniel P. Snyder - Registered owner: Daniel P. Snyder - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 1, 2023 - Destination: GEU, Glendale, AZ - Airport: TYL, Taylor Municipal Airport, runway 21, 7,001 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review November 20, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 76 total, 76 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.38 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KSOW, 12 nm away - METAR: KSOW 061435Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M02/M05 A3038 RMK AO2 ## 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 20231206019639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231206019639A), Dec 6, 2023: Remos Aircraft Gmbh REMOS GX, Taylor, AZ, Substantial damage. On 12/6/2023 at 10:44 am, a Remos departing from Taylor crashed on takeoff, landing inverted halfway down the runway and seriously injuring the pilot. Photos… ## Docket (11 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 25, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193483. 185 MB in all. - FAA email-airport manager statement (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19516987&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Email-Statement%20from%20TYL%20airport%20manager_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Faa-examiner interview notes (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 45.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19517507&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=IMG_0990_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB mor-airport manager (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19568764&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR-Airport%20Manager-Rel.pdf - POH excerpts (item 4, PDF, 7 pages, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19520037&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=POH%20Excerpts-Rel.pdf - Aircraft documents-w&b (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19519418&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=W%26B-Rel.pdf - Maintnenace logbook-excerpts (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 101 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19519647&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Logbook%20Entries-Excerpts_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array-courtesy of the tyl airport manager (item 7, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 588 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19520180&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Airport%20Manager-Rel.pdf - NTSB accident site and wreckage examination summary report (item 8, PDF, 11 pages, 8 photos, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19526568&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR24FA052%20Accident%20Site%20and%20Wreckage%20Examination%20Summary%20Report-Rel.pdf - FAA pilots handbook of aeronautical knowledge-excerpts (item 9, PDF, 5 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19517221&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=PHAK%20Chapter%2012-Rel.pdf - Google earth view-accident site (item 10, PDF, 2 pages, 17.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19519983&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=GE%20View-Rel.pdf - Wreckage release form (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 10.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19516908&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20Release%20Form_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. --- 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.