Amateur-built DAVIS KR-1 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 25, 2012
On September 25, 2012 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built DAVIS KR-1, registered N6155X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Double Eagle II airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of control during landing/flare resulting from the pilot's decision to land in high wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the gusting wind and sudden wind shift during a critical phase of landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2012 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Double Eagle II · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DAVIS KR-1
- Registration
- N6155X · no longer on the register · serial 21551
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Enroute during a day VFR cross country flight, the expected weather conditions deteriorated near the intended destination airport. The reported weather included convective activity with wind from 300 degrees at 24 knots, gusting to 35 knots. Convective cells were visible around the airport. The pilot radioed his intentions to land on runway 22 and entered a right downwind. The pilot said that his weather radar was indicating that conditions had worsened. The wind had increased significantly, it was raining, and the pilot started to see lightning on his weather radar instruments. The pilot considered going to another airport, however, he thought that the surrounding weather gave him no other options but to land. On final approach, the crosswind was much greater than expected so the pilot executed a go-around. It appeared, according to the windsock, that runway 35 was a better choice for landing. The tower air traffic controller cleared the pilot to land on runway 35. The pilot lined up on final approach toward the left edge of the runway because the wind was still gusting a lot (about 70 degrees from the left), and he knew that there would be some drift. He carried a bit more airspeed on final in an attempt to maintain better control to touchdown. The airplane was in a hard slip/crab into the wind with the left wing low. Passing over the runway numbers, the airplane's nose was faced into the wind and was still being pushed across the runway. It seemed that all was going well, and just before the pilot thought the airplane was going to touch down, without notice, the left wing lifted the and the airplane rolled into about 80 degrees right bank. The airplane was blown nearly feet off the runway and the pilot immediately applied full power. After rolling to the left, the airplane settled and slammed into the ground, bounced, and became airborne again before impacting the ground in a nose down attitude. The airplane slid about 75 feet before coming to rest. The fuselage, wings, and empennage sustained structural damage. No mechanical anomalies were found.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 25, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 1, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: INW Winslow AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: TDW Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 24 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from ABQ, 12 miles away
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.