Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
First Aero Squadron Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Columbus, New Mexico 88029
Thursday, July 17, 2014 8:15 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On July 17, 2014, about 0815 mountain daylight time, an amateur-built, experimental Garramone Vixen (Kitfox Series 5) airplane, N153PR, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Columbus, New Mexico. The pilot reported no injuries; the passenger was seriously injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from the First Aero Squadron Airpark (NM09), Columbus, New Mexico, about 0800.
The pilot stated the engine start and runup were normal. However, shortly after takeoff, about one mile from the airport, the engine began to run rough for a few seconds and then smoothed out. After a few more seconds, the engine began to run rough again before it lost power completely. The pilot noted that due to the low altitude at the time of the loss of power, he was unable to troubleshoot the problem. The pilot executed a forced landing to a pasture. The ground was "extremely rough" and the nose landing gear collapsed during the landing rollout. The airplane subsequently nosed over.
A postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Internal engine continuity was confirmed through crankshaft rotation. Compression was detected at all cylinders. The engine appeared intact, with the exception of the right carburetor which was displaced upward; displacement of the right carburetor appeared consistent with the impact sequence. The pilot noted prior issues with cracking of the carburetor mounting flange assembly. However, examination of the flange installed at the time of the accident flight did not reveal any anomalies. The propeller assembly remained attached to the engine; although, the propeller blades were damaged consistent with the nose over event. The fuel tank appeared intact and contained fuel.
At the time of the accident, the airframe and engine had accumulated 1,149.3 hours and 612 hours recording tachometer time, respectively. Maintenance records indicated a condition inspection was completed on June 10, 2014, at 1,145.7 hours recording tachometer time. The right carburetor mounting flange was replaced 6 days after the condition inspection, at 1,146.9 hours tachometer time, because it was observed to be cracked.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/17/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 815 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Columbus |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 88029 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 315207N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1073656W |
| Event Location Airport | First Aero Squadron Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | NM09 |
| 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 | 70 |
| Airport Elevation | 4140 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DNM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4314 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 24 |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA -- ASW ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 23 2014 12:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N153PR |
| NTSB Number | CEN14LA373 |
| 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 | GARRAMONE MIKE A |
| Aircraft Model | VIXEN |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | ECV005 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1320 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 10 2014 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4 |
| Airframe Hours | 1149 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Pilot |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Columbus |
| Aircraft Owner State | NM |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 88029 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Pilot |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Columbus |
| Operator State | NM |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 88029 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NM09 |
| Departure City | Columbus |
| Departure State | NM |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 800 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | NM09 |
| Destination City | Columbus |
| Destination State | NM |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 23 2014 10:22AM |
| User who most recently changed record | sort |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | E |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |