Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Los Lunas, New Mexico, October 17, 2010
On October 17, 2010 at about 11:15 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N353CB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Los Lunas, New Mexico (Mid Valley Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing and loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2010 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Los Lunas, New Mexico · Mid Valley Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N353CB · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced. In response, he added engine power, leveled the airplane, and attempted to flare to soften the impact upon touchdown. During the flare, the elevator lost effectiveness sooner than he anticipated and the airplane touched down on the runway surface hard. The airplane veered off to the right side of the runway, impacted a drainage ditch, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 18, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown NM
- Destination: KE98 Los Lunas NM
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 18, 4,340 ft by 37 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from KE80, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.