Amateur-built KITFOX SPEEDSTER accident near Elephant Butte, New Mexico, May 1, 2011
On May 1, 2011 at about 6:15 pm local time, a amateur-built KITFOX SPEEDSTER, registered N89MM, was destroyed in an accident near Elephant Butte, New Mexico (Truth Or Consequences Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control of the airplane for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2011 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Elephant Butte, New Mexico · Truth Or Consequences Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KITFOX SPEEDSTER
- Registration
- N89MM · registry record · serial HBS055
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on a local flight from a nearby airport. Two witnesses, who were driving north on an interstate highway, said the airplane was flying south about 1,000 feet above the ground when it pitched upward, rolled to the right, and then spiraled toward the ground. The witnesses said that they did not see any fire or smoke before they lost sight of the airplane. However, they subsequently saw a plume of smoke rising from behind a hill. A postaccident examination of the airplane wreckage showed that the airplane impacted the terrain in a right bank, slightly nose low attitude, then spun around to the left. A postimpact fire consumed most of the airplane structure. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. A rod end for a push-pull tube between the flap handle and the flaperon mixer unit was found failed in overload at the outer two threads. Although this finding indicates potential problems with the construction and/or maintenance of the airplane, there is no indication that it contributed to the accident. Forensic toxicology testing of the pilot’s liver and kidney detected Diphenhyramine; however, the level of Diphenhydramine was not substantive enough to be determined and its presence most likely did not induce impairment.
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
- 400341 during undetermined
- 600341 during other
- 600120 during other
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Owner/builder
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea, ASE, IAIR, APLN, none
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 502.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 20, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: TCS Truth Or Conseq NM at 5:45 pm
- Destination: TCS Truth Or Conseq NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°C, dew point 10°C
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from TCS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN11FA312.