Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Las Cruces International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88033
Sunday, May 17, 2009 10:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot elected to land the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a runway with a direct crosswind. Moments later the airplane experienced a gust of wind and briefly went airborne. Once settled back to the ground, the airplane swerved to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing tip impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest in an upright position and the pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. A review of airport information revealed that three runways were available for landing, one of which was nearly aligned with the prevailing winds. The airplane's right wing sustained structural damage during the accident. There were no reported malfunctions or failures with the airplane's controls.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in a crosswind. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land on a runway with a prevailing crosswind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/17/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Las Cruces |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 88033 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 321722N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1065519W |
| Event Location Airport | Las Cruces International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LRU |
| 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 | 4456 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1031 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LRU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4456 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.34 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KLRU 171631Z AUTO 11007KT 10SM BKN033 20/11 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25644 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 25 2009 12:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lebt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8042D |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA301 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-22-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22-5567 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2000 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3959 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | COHEN DOUG R |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 18914 SE 263RD ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | COVINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98042-8434 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | COHEN DOUG R |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 18914 SE 263RD ST |
| Operator City | COVINGTON |
| Operator State | WA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 98042-8434 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CGZ |
| Departure City | Casa Grande |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 730 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | LRU |
| Destination City | Las Cruces |
| Destination State | NM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 25 2009 10:23AM |
| User who most recently changed record | lebt |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 7499 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |