Amateur-built COZY III accident near Los Lunas, New Mexico, July 29, 2012
On July 29, 2012 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built COZY III, registered N904DB, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Los Lunas, New Mexico (Mid Valley Airpart 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loose oil line, which allowed oil to leak onto the hot engine turbocharger and resulted in a fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2012 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Los Lunas, New Mexico · Mid Valley Airpart · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COZY III
- Registration
- N904DB · registry record · serial 64
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing after landing, the engine lost power, and the pilot turned the airplane off the runway. The pilot exited the airplane and noticed smoke at the rear of the airplane near the engine. The pilot attempted to extinguish the fire; however, his efforts were unsuccessful, and the airplane was consumed by the fire. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 4.9 flight hours. Postaccident examination of the airplane found loose B-nuts on two fuel lines and one oil line. An oil streak was noted on the runway surface, and no oil was found in the engine. The pilot stated that the fire likely resulted from oil leaking onto the hot turbocharger.
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
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,160 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 14, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4.9 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, July 26, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Mazda RX8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: E98 Los Lunas NM at 3:00 pm
- Destination: E98 Los Lunas NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N904DB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 CEN12CA496.