Borrego Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Borrego Springs, California 92004
Saturday, September 8, 2012 12:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On September 8, 2012, about 1235 Pacific daylight time (PDT), an experimental Edward R. Moore MXS, N21MX, departed controlled flight and impacted terrain near Borrego Valley Airport (L08), Borrego Springs, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot was fatally injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The local personal aerobatic flight departed L08, about 1225. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Witnesses reported that during an aerobatic flight the airplane appeared to have departed controlled flight and the pilot was observed to leave the airplane followed by his parachute deploying. The parachute did not fully deploy before the pilot impacted the ground. On scene examination and documentation was performed by FAA inspectors and the airplane was recovered for further examination.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1235
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Borrego Springs
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92004
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 331538N
Event Location Longitude 1161928W
Event Location Airport Borrego Valley Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L08
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 520
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1252 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID TRM
Elevation of weather observation facility -115
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 39
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.78
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report 12:52 PM 102.0 °F 105.9 °F 64.9 °F 30% 29.79 in
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) --
NTSB Notification Source FAA WP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 14 2012 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21MX
NTSB Number WPR12LA407
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 MOORE EDWARD R
Aircraft Model MXS
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 008
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOORE EDWARD R
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92109-1402
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MOORE EDWARD R
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92109-1402
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code L08
Departure City Borrego Springs
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code L08
Destination City Borrego Springs
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 14 2012 1:48PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --