Airborne Windsports PTY LTD XT-912 accident near Alamogordo, New Mexico, June 15, 2009
On June 15, 2009 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Airborne Windsports PTY LTD XT-912 (weight-shift aircraft), registered N594VZ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Alamogordo, New Mexico (Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control while landing with gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2009 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alamogordo, New Mexico · Alamogordo-White Sands Regiona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airborne Windsports PTY LTD XT-912
- Registration
- N594VZ · registry record · serial XT-912-183LSA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The sport pilot was performing a touch-and-go landing on Runway 03. The pilot had checked weather conditions approximately 15 minutes prior, and the winds were from 360 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 20 knots. During this landing, the winds were reported to be from 360 degrees at approximately 8 knots. The pilot decided to angle his landing on the runway approximately 20 degrees, since the weight-shift airplane did not require a long ground run. Upon touchdown, a gust of wind pushed the airplane off the side of the runway. The pilot corrected back to the runway and attempted to take off. Another gust of wind lifted one side of the wing resulting in a loss of directional control. The weight-shift airplane rolled inverted before coming to rest on the runway, causing substantial damage to the fabric wing, wing spars, and suspension cables.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 128 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 96 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 91 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 2008; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KALM Alamogordo NM at 3:10 pm
- Destination: KALM Alamogordo NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 7,006 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.