Carlsbad Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220
Sunday, April 11, 1993 10:19 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING LANDING THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THE PILOT APPLIED AFT PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL STICK ASSEMBLY. WITH THE AFT PRESSURE APPLIED THE CONTROL STICK ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM ITS NORMAL MOUNTING POSITION AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHICH IMPACTED THE TERRAIN. THE CONTROL STICK AND PISTOL GRIP WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH A RETENTION LOCKING DEVICE. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY REMOVED THE STICK IN ORDER TO INSTALL A PUSH TO TALK SWITCH FOR HIS RADIO. WHEN HE REINSTALLED THE STICK HE NOTED THAT IT WAS LOOSE, SO HE WRAPPED IT WITH HEAVY TAPE IN AN EFFORT TO SECURE IT

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CONTROL STICK ASSEMBLY AND THE SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL STICK ASSEMBLY FROM THE MOUNT

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1019
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88220
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARLSBAD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CNM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 3293
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 194
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50543
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48RV
NTSB Number FTW93LA124
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VIOLET
Aircraft Model DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Series Identifier DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Serial Number 166
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Sep 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 166
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SNOW, MARK D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 704 NORTH 3RD
Aircraft Owner City CARLSBAD
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88220
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SNOW, MARK D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 704 NORTH 3RD
Operator City CARLSBAD
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 88220
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ATS
Departure City ARTISIA
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CNM
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 5830
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --