- Date
- June 4, 2024, 08:53 local (14:53 UTC)
- Place
- Edgewood, NM
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N79ZTDennis T Kirby/Michael B Kirby Murphy Rebel
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20240604012669A
- Case key
- 194393
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper installation of the aileron and flap control systems, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll and subsequent runway excursion.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he had a “controllability issue” during takeoff and lost directional control. According to an FAA inspector, the airplane then veered right, exited the runway, and impacted a berm. Subsequently, the airplane had a post-crash fire and was destroyed. The pilot informed the FAA inspector that he improperly reconnected the ailerons and flaps prior to the accident flight. The pilot further reported that during the takeoff roll, the flight controls “felt funny” and realized that he had mis-rigged the aileron and flap controls. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1 as requested.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79ZT
- Reported as
- Dennis T Kirby/Michael B Kirby Murphy Rebel
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MAM-198
- Built
- 2022
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- 1N1 · Sandia Airpark Estates East, runway 09/27, 4,830 × 30 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KABQ, 22 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KABQ 061452Z 30006KT 10SM FEW250 25/01 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP105 T02500011 51016=
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 616 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.