Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Rosa, New Mexico 88435
Friday, April 19, 1991 8:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO LIKE-MODEL AIRPLANES FLEW IN FORMATION. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE LEAD AIRCRAFT. THE LEAD AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED; HOWEVER, A SUCCESSFUL LANDING WAS MADE. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT'S (N87259) FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE DAMAGED IN THE COLLISION AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH ENTERED A LEFT SPIRAL. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT, HE PARTIALLY FLARED THE AIRCRAFT BY PULLING AFT ON THE CONTROL YOKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CLEARANCE AND PHYSICAL CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/19/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SANTA ROSA
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88435
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
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 3800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 588
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44380
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N87259 N3210H
NTSB Number DEN91LA062A DEN91LA062B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Substantial Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.) Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415-C 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier 415-C 415-C
Aircraft Serial Number 432 432
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260 1260
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown Unknown
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0 0
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed No Yes
ELT Activated No Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name STANLEY E. JENNINGS STANLEY E. JENNINGS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2123 S. THIRD STREET 2123 S. THIRD STREET
Aircraft Owner City TUCUMCARI TUCUMCARI
Aircraft Owner State NM NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88401 88401
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name STANLEY E. JENNINGS STANLEY E. JENNINGS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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 Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code TCC TCC
Departure City TUCUMCARI TUCUMCARI
Departure State NM NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 707 707
Departure Time Zone MDT MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt -- --
Destination Airport Code SEZ SEZ
Destination City SEDONA SEDONA
Destination State AZ AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb Climb
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --