Double Eagle II Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87121
Saturday, April 20, 2013 13:04 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that upon arrival at his destination, he realized there were dust devils in the vicinity that were diminishing or moving away; he decided they would not be a factor. He landed the airplane and was taxiing slowly on a taxiway when he saw a dust devil about 300 feet to his left front. He said that he had slowed to a stop by the time the dust devil engulfed the airplane, but the airplane was lifted about 3 feet off the taxiway surface. The airplane then impacted the ground on the right wingtip and propeller, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s inability to maintain airplane control during taxi due to an inadvertent encounter with a dust devil.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1304
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Albuquerque
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87121
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350801N
Event Location Longitude 1064724W
Event Location Airport Double Eagle II Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AEG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5837
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1306 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KAEG
Elevation of weather observation facility 5837
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KAEG 202050Z 29018G22KT 10SM BKN100 17/M14 A2993=
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) 31360
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regl Opns Center - Ft Wort
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 12 2013 1:44PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6955E
NTSB Number CEN13CA234
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 175A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 56455
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
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 Mar 2 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 3158
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTOPHER L GROTBECK
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87199-2282
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name CHRISTOPHER L GROTBECK
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ALBUQUERQUE
Operator State NM
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 87199-2282
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 1N1
Departure City Edgewood
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code AEG
Destination City Albuquerque
Destination State NM
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 15 2013 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 7398
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --