Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110
Saturday, April 18, 1987 8:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNED PROTOTYPE ACFT WAS BEING FLOWN ON ITS FIRST FLT. THE ACFT TOOK OFF AND FLEW IN GROUND EFFECT BEYOND THE ARPT BOUNDARY. AT FULL PWR, THE ACFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND DESCENDED UNCONTROLLED TO AN IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE ACFT WAS 950 LBS GW WITH A 60 HP ENG. AS THIS PROTOTYPE WAS EQUIPPED ITS CLIMB RATE WAS A MINUS 75 FT/MIN. IN A POST FLT TEST THE INVOLVED ENG PRODUCED LESS THAN 40 HP. THE ACC PLT STEPPED INTO THE PROGRAM 10 DAYS BEFORE THE ACC AFTER THE ORIGINAL CONTRACTED TEST PLT QUIT. THE TEST WAS FLOWN IN SPITE OF SOME OF THE TECHNICIANS SKEPTICISM OF SUCCESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87110
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 747 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID ABQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5352
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 80
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6200
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) 824
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34013
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100VL
NTSB Number DEN87LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DEVORE SUNBIRD
Aircraft Model 100
Aircraft Series Identifier 100
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1375
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VERILITE AIRCRAFT CO. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6104 KIRCHER BLVD, NE
Aircraft Owner City ALGUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87109
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --