Summary
On August 08, 2015, a Aeros LTD AEROS 2 (N5982V) was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, NM. The accident resulted in 2 serious injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The ultralight airplane’s encounter with a downdraft in mountainous terrain, which resulted in a descent into trees.
On August 8, 2015, at 0908 mountain daylight time, an Aeros-2, N5982V, a weight-shift ultralight aircraft, encountered a mountain rotor wind and crashed.20 miles northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. The ultralight aircraft was substantially damaged. The ultralight aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN15LA359. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5982V.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The ultralight airplane’s encounter with a downdraft in mountainous terrain, which resulted in a descent into trees.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On August 8, 2015, at 0908 mountain daylight time, an Aeros-2, N5982V, a weight-shift ultralight aircraft, encountered a mountain rotor wind and crashed.20 miles northwest of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were seriously injured. The ultralight aircraft was substantially damaged. The ultralight aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Double Eagle II Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 0727.The pilot told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he and his pilot-rated passenger had been flying near a ridgeline when they encountered a "mountain rotor wind." Control was lost and the ultralight aircraft impacted terrain. In his written statement to FAA, the pilot stated that he and his pilot-rated passenger flew through some canyons before landing on a dirt road to enjoy the views and scenery. After about 30 minutes, they took off and flew back through the canyons. The pilot stated he encountered what he thought was a downdraft or mountain rotor. Full power and a climb attitude failed to arrest the descent and the ultralight aircraft collided with trees.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN15LA359