N1036G

On September 15, 2000, approximately 1530 mountain daylight time, a Taylorcraft 20, N1036G, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while landing at Moriarty, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and a commercial certificated flight instructor-passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot did not file a flight plan for this personal cross country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Grand Canyon, Arizona, approximately 1200.

According to telephone conversations with the pilot and his accident report, he was flying the airplane from Kenai, Alaska, to Florida. He and his passenger had stopped for fuel at Grand Canyon, Arizona, and were en route to Las Vegas, New Mexico, but thunderstorms caused them to divert to Moriarty. The pilot said he landed on runway 8 into a 5 to 8 knot crosswind from the southeast. His airspeed was "a little fast and [he] dropped the airplane hard on the runway." It bounced, settled back onto the runway, then veered sharply to the left. Despite full right rudder input, the airplane exited the runway, ground looped to the left, and slid sideways, collapsing the right main landing gear.

According to an FAA inspector who examined the accident site, the pilot landed on runway 26.