Aerotrike COBRA UNREG

Summary

On 1 April 2023 at about 13:35 local time, a Aerotrike COBRA registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 April 2023 at 13:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Teresa, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Dona Ana County International (DNA)

Coordinates

31.8636, -106.6926

Aircraft

Aerotrike COBRA

Registration

UNREG

Year built

2001

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23FA138

1 person died.

The pilot’s exceedance of the aircraft’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a personal flight in the weight-shift-control aircraft. A friend of the pilot, who was flying in the area in his powered parachute, witnessed the accident aircraft flying in level flight toward his position. When he looked back, the aircraft was turning toward him, and shortly thereafter, he saw the aircraft in a flat spin that continued until it impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage at the accident site revealed that the parachute likely deployed from its containment bag as a result of ground impact forces. The parachute T-handle remained in the handle mount and the safety pin was found adjacent to the pin hole area. The safety pin engagement surface area exhibited less sooting residue than the head of the pin, consistent with it being installed in the T-handle mount at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the aircraft’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering, resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin and loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.