Butler AEROSTAR 600 N4VH

Summary

On 11 September 1991 at about 17:50 local time, a Butler AEROSTAR 600 registered N4VH, operated by Franklin, Jimmy M., was involved in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 1991 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Ruidoso, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Sierra Blanca Regional (SRR)

Coordinates

33.3492, -105.6791

Aircraft

Butler AEROSTAR 600

Registration

N4VH

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Franklin, Jimmy M.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Reno

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN91FA127

2 people died.

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT AFTER TO THE CABIN DOOR OPENED INADVERTENTLY DURING TAKEOFF RUN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE DEPARTING ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE AN ABNORMALLY LONG TAKEOFF ROLL AND TO ROTATE ABRUPTLY TO A HIGHER THAN NORMAL NOSE ATTITUDE. INITIAL CLIMB WAS FOLLOWED BY SETTLING WITH A HIGH NOSE ATTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS FOUND IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION AND THE LOWER HALF WAS FOUND NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE WRECKAGE PATH WITH IMPACT DAMAGE. THE TOP HALF WAS FOUND FURTHER DOWN THE WRECKAGE PATH AND HAD SUSTAINED FIRE DAMAGE. THE AEROSTAR HAS AN OBSERVED DRAG AND PITCH PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION IF THE CABIN DOOR OPENS DURING TAKEOFF RUN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.