Peck P-1, N16NM: Fatal accident occurred May 18, 2013 at Aztec Municipal Airport (N19), San Juan County, New Mexico

http://registry.faa.gov/N16NM

NTSB Identification: CEN13LA299 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 18, 2013 in Aztec, NM
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/16/2016
Aircraft: PECK NORMAN O PECK P-1, registration: N16NM
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The private pilot was conducting a personal flight in the amateur-built airplane. A witness reported that he saw the pilot start up the airplane and take off. Just after becoming airborne, the airplane impacted a berm on the right side of the runway, spun 180 degrees, and then came to rest. A postcrash fire ensued, which consumed a majority of the airplane. 

Examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, a complete examination could not be conducted due to extensive fire damage. The left side of the engine did exhibit more fire damage than other areas, which may indicate that a fuel leak occurred or that the fire started at that location from another source. Further, someone who knew the pilot reported that, after the previous flight, the pilot had indicated that fuel had pooled on the cockpit floor. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot becoming distracted during takeoff, possibly by a fuel leak or onboard fire; however, neither scenario could be verified. Therefore, the reason that the pilot did not maintain airplane control during takeoff could not be determined. 

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident fire damage precluded a complete examination of the airplane. 


HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 18, 2013, about 1050 mountain daylight time, an amateur built Peck P-1 airplane, N16NM, was destroyed after it impacted the ground during takeoff from Aztec Municipal Airport (N16), Aztec, New Mexico. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and the flight was being conducted without a flight plan. The flight was departing at the time of the accident.

A witness to the accident stated that he saw the pilot start up the airplane and takeoff on runway 26. Just after becoming airborne, the airplane impacted a berm on the right side of the runway, spun 180 degrees, and was engulfed in fire.

A person who knew the pilot provided information that indicated that the pilot had purchased the airplane about 6 months prior to the accident. He also stated that the pilot had complained about 7-10 days prior to the accident that fuel had been pooling on the floor of the cockpit.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The 62 year old pilot held a private pilot certificate (airplane, single-engine land). He reported 2,500 total hours and 50 hours in the last six months on his last application for a medical certificate. He was last issued a Class-3 medical certificate on June 29, 2012. No pilot logbooks were located during the course of the investigation.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane impacted a berm on the right side of runway 26, turned 180 degrees and came to rest. Fire consumed the majority of the airplane. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage and determined there was more fire damage to the left side of the engine, but he could not determine if there was a fuel leak there due to the fire damage. He did not identify any pre-impact anomalies with the engine or flight controls. 

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1153 MDT, the weather station at Farmington, New Mexico (FMN), located 11 miles southwest of the accident site, reported wind from 240 at 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 10,000 ft, temperature 69 degrees F, dew point 25 degrees F, and altimeter setting 29.99 inches of mercury. 

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Office of the Medical Examiner, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The cause of death was determined to be inhalation of products of combustion and thermal injuries.

Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Diphenhydramine was detected in urine samples. Diphenhydramine was not detected in blood samples.


AZTEC — Last month, city commissioners approved the purchase of a mobile home at the Aztec Municipal Airport that is expected to house the next airport manager.

The purchase is part of preparations the city is making for a change in management at the small twin-runway airport.

The seller of the manager's home at the airport, Patricia Arnold, is the current manager at the airport.

She and her husband, former Aztec mayor Michael "Mike" Arnold Sr., took up residence on the airport grounds in 1999.

The Arnold's managed the airport together until May of last year when Mike Arnold, 62, died when he lost control of his single-engine plane and crashed shortly after take-off.

Patricia Arnold and her son, Mike Arnold Jr., have overseen daily operations there since Mike Arnold Sr.'s death.

Last September, city commissioners approved a one-year extension of a lease agreement with the Arnold family to continue managing the city's airport.

The extension expires Sept. 20. So far, the city has yet to fill the manager position but received responses from five individuals in the last month, according to City Manager Joshua Ray.

"Pat Arnold is not going to manage it any longer. We've been working with them to transition to the next manager. We're in the process of receiving proposals for the next manager," Ray said. "The (Sept. 20) deadline is there, but we will make a change as soon as we approve a new individual to take over."

The airport manager, an unpaid position, can derive an income from the sale of fuel at the airport and the leasing of hangar space. If the next manager agrees to live in the airport's mobile home, that person would be provided the living quarters, but still have to pay for any utilities, Ray said.

"We basically trade them the space — we own the property — as part of their income," Ray said. "We don't pay anything directly to the manager, so they can live there and provide on-site security."

Review of applications for the position should conclude within a month or so, Ray said.

Ray says the airport serves a definite purpose for the city.

"I think it's a huge benefit to the city to bring tourists to the city and to give people a local airport to use," Ray said. "It's been steady the last four years — pilot usage and hangar requests have seen a small upsurge."

The city collects about $900 each year from leases for two plane hangars, according to Aztec Finance Director Kathy Lamb.

Of the airport's total 73 acres, the city owns 18. The remaining 55 acres are owned by the Bureau of Land Management. The city leases the BLM acreage for $500 per year. The bureau only charges the city for the land where the two airstrips are located, according to Aztec Projects Manager Ed Kotyk.

"Pat's been excellent to work with — it's been seamless for us," Ray said. "The nobility of her taking care of the airport on behalf of the city has just been outstanding. The big challenge for her was not having Mike. I'm excited for her to finish up her work there and get the next manager on board."

Calls to Patricia Arnold for comment about this story were not returned Monday

Story and photos:   http://www.daily-times.com

 


NTSB Identification: CEN13LA299
 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 18, 2013 in Aztec, NM
Aircraft: PECK NORMAN O PECK P-1, registration: N16NM
Injuries: 1 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On May 18, 2013, about 1150 mountain daylight time, an amateur built Peck P-1 single-engine airplane, N16NM, registered to and operated by a private individual, was destroyed after it impacted the ground during takeoff from Aztec Municipal Airport (N16), Aztec, New Mexico. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

A witness to the accident stated that he saw the pilot start up the airplane and takeoff on runway 26. Just after becoming airborne, the airplane impacted a berm on the right side of the runway, spun 180 degrees, and caught fire.

A person who knew the pilot provided information that indicated that the pilot had purchased the airplane about 6 months ago. He also stated that the pilot had complained about 7-10 days prior to the accident that fuel had been pooling on the floor of the cockpit.