Tucumcari Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucumcari, New Mexico 88401
Wednesday, October 4, 2006 13:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was just exiting a loop close to the ground when, according to multiple witnesses, the wings began to shake back and forth. One witness reported that it appeared as if the airplane was rocking. According to a cameraman recording the performance, the pilot did not "start his pull until he was too low to recover." He stated, "When the plane passed overhead, the noise the air was making as it passed over sounded very interrupted or turbulent." The cameraman noted, "There was a definitive break in the wing flight, a dip or stall, as it passed by." The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest to the south of the runway. An examination of the airplane, engine, and related systems revealed no anomalies. Winds at the time of the accident were reported as 060 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots. Density altitude was calculated to be 5,700 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during aerobatic flight, resulting in an inadvertent accelerated stall. Contributing factors include the low altitude for recovery from the loop and the high density altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/4/2006
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Tucumcari
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88401
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 351058N
Event Location Longitude 1033601W
Event Location Airport TUCUMCARI MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TCC
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 4065
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID TCC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4065
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.33
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21440
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Southwest Region
NTSB Notification Date Oct 4 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 29 2007 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Albuquerque FAA Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N300BB
NTSB Number DEN07FA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH
Aircraft Model EA 300/L
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 086
Certified Max Gross Weight 1918
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Apr 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 583.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name On File
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Tulsa
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74128
Operator is an individual? Yes
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Air Race/Show
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TCC
Departure City Tucumcari
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code TCC
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2007 11:25AM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --