Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coyote, New Mexico 87012
Friday, March 26, 1999 21:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and his pilot-rated passenger were flying cross-country for the purpose of building flight time. The pilot assumed the role of PIC for the leg from Durango to their intended destination of Santa Fe. During a stop earlier in the day in Las Vegas, the passenger checked the weather using a computer located in the terminal, which called for low clouds and a narrow temperature/dew point spread at the airport in Santa Fe. He did not obtain SIGMETS. While in cruise flight, he and his passenger began to encounter snow, fog and rain. While attempting to climb, he entered instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft then impacted the trees in a 90 right bank and at a 45 degree downward pitch. The aircraft came to rest in an inverted position along a 45 degree inclining mountainous slope covered by several feet of snow. The aircraft was not IFR equipped.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot-in-command's inadvertent flight into adverse weather, and his continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors were his failure to obtain an updated recorded weather briefing, the existing weather conditions which included snow, fog and rain, and the aircraft not being IFR equipped.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/26/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City COYOTE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87012
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 111
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 27 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N528SS
NTSB Number DEN99LA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Diamond Aircraft Industries
Aircraft Model DA 20-A1
Aircraft Series Identifier DA 20-A1
Aircraft Serial Number 10092
Certified Max Gross Weight 1609
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 4 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 981
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DIAMOND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1550 CRUMLIN SIDE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LONDON, ONTARIO
Aircraft Owner State CD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THE GLOBAL GROUP
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6801 N. GLEN HARBOR BLVD.
Operator City GLENDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85307
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DRO
Departure City DURANGO
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAF
Destination City SANTE FE
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --