History of Flight
On March 3, 2013, about 1320 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20E, N3484X, impacted terrain after departing Angel Fire Airport (KAXX), Angel Fire, New Mexico. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged and a post-impact fire ensued. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Verhalen Flyers LLC, Scottsville, Texas, under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated without a flight plan. The flight was departing KAXX and destined for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Upon arrival at the fixed base operator (FBO), an employee questioned the pilot's intent to fly in the windy weather. The pilot indicated he planned to fly and that the winds would not be a problem. When the pilot radioed on UNICOM that he was taxiing to runway 17, the current wind and altimeter were relayed by the FBO employee and repeated by the pilot. Due to snow piles, the employee could not see the takeoff but next saw the airplane airborne with a significant crab angle into the wind, about 40 degrees right of the runway heading. The airplane rose and fell repeatedly with rocking wings. The employee then saw the airplane's right wing rise rapidly, and the airplane rolled left, descending inverted with its nose pointed straight down.
An eyewitness in a car along Highway 434 saw the airplane take off and perceived it struggling to gain altitude. When the airplane climbed between 75 to 150 feet above the ground, it appeared to momentarily hover before the left wing dipped quickly and the airplane descended nose first.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 33, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single engine land. On October 13, 2011, he was issued an unrestricted third class medical certificate. On his application, he reported 380 total hours. His logbook was unavailable. Paperwork with his insurance company reported as of October 2012, he had accrued 459 hours, with 384 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot told the FBO manager he had flown the accident airplane for five years, and that KAXX was the highest airport he had landed at, though he had flown to some lower elevation airports in Colorado and Wyoming. His experience flying out of airports with high density altitude is not known. The night before the accident, a cousin reported that the pilot said flying in wind did not bother him.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing, single-engine airplane, serial number 1156, was manufactured in 1966. It was powered by a 200-horsepower, fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360-A1A engine driving a two-blade, metal, constant-speed Hartzell HC-2YK-1BF propeller. The airplane's logbooks were almost completely consumed in the post-impact fire. Records showed the most recent annual inspection occurred on December 7, 2012, at a tachometer and airframe total time of 4,752.65 hours. The engine had accrued 6,859.85 hours, with 1,736.75 hours since major overhaul. At the accident site, the tachometer read 4,785.84 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1315, an automated weather reporting facility at KAXX reported wind from 250 degrees at 33 knots gusting to 47 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 47°F, dew point 17°F, and barometric pressure 29.93 inches of mercury. Density altitude was calculated at 9,549 feet. KAXX and the accident site were in a basin nearly encompassed by mountainous terrain, with peaks between 10,470 and 13,160 feet to the west and northwest. An upper air sounding for 1400 MST depicted an unstable vertical environment allowing mixing of wind on the lee side, with winds as high as 55 knots occasionally reaching the surface. Satellite imagery between 1300 and 1400 MST recorded standing lenticular clouds near all mountainous terrain, indicating a mountain wave environment. The National Weather Service issued wind advisories at 0322 and 1134 warning of west-southwest wind between 25 and 35 mph with gusts to 50 mph. A Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model indicated the accident site was within a turbulent mountain wave environment with low-level wind shear, updrafts, downdrafts, downslope winds, and conditions conducive for rotors. The pilot did not receive a weather briefing, and it is not known what weather sources he referenced.
Airport Information
Angel Fire Airport is at an elevation of 8,380 feet. It has one asphalt runway 17-35, 8,900 feet long by 100 feet wide. The airfield is non-towered and uses a common traffic advisory frequency. Runway 17 has a 0.6% upgrade. An Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS-3) is on airport property. The airport/facility directory contains remarks for strong gusty crosswinds possible and high density altitude probable. The FBO had posters and literature warning about crosswinds, mountainous terrain, weight and balance, takeoff performance, density altitude, and runway 17's upgrade.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest about 0.2 miles south-southwest of the airport, near the intersection of runway 17's extended centerline and Highway 434. The initial impact point was a crater on the highway shoulder containing acrylic glass; the propeller was found nearby. Fifteen feet east of the crater was the main wreckage, inverted. A post-impact fire consumed most of the fuselage and empennage. Both wings remained attached with near symmetric accordion crushing. Both fuel tanks were breached and empty. The left wing's outboard section and aileron were intact; the inboard portion around the fuel tank was consumed by fire, including most of the left flap. The left main gear was thermally damaged and buckled. The right wing was mostly intact with aileron and flap still attached; the right flap appeared set to 15 degrees. The right main gear was extended. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers were buckled, torn, and thermally damaged. Flight control continuity was established from ailerons to cockpit controls; rudder and elevator rods remained connected until just forward of the vertical stabilizer where fire destroyed most control rods. The airspeed indicator read 81 mph. The attitude direction indicator depicted a left wing low, inverted attitude. The tachometer read 2000 rpm. The altimeter's Kollsman window read 29.93. The propeller fractured at the flange; both blades had leading edge nicks, gouges, deep chordwise scratches, and leading edge polishing.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy on the pilot by the Office of the Medical Investigator of New Mexico noted cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was ruled an accident. Forensic toxicology by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory did not detect ethanol or drugs. Specimens from the pilot were not suitable for carbon monoxide testing; however, a passenger's specimens tested negative for carbon monoxide.
Additional Information
An old copy of the airplane's weight and balance, marked superseded 6/28/02, was found in the wreckage. Using that data and FAA information, an estimated weight and balance was calculated. Postmortem occupant weights were obtained but not corrected for clothing or thermal water loss. Occupant seats were assumed in forward positions for better forward CG. Baggage was consumed and could not be weighed; an estimate of ten pounds per bag was given for six reported bags. Twenty-eight gallons of fuel were reported before flight. The airplane's weight was calculated at 2,518.77 pounds with a moment of 123.98 inches, placing it aft of the manufacturer's CG moment envelope.