Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Ramah, New Mexico, September 9, 2017
On September 9, 2017 at about 2:45 pm local time, a 1991 amateur-built RV-4, registered N70RV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Ramah, New Mexico (Mystic Bluffs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from berms during landing in sun glare conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2017 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ramah, New Mexico · Mystic Bluffs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4, built 1991
- Registration
- N70RV · registry record · serial 2139
- 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 that the sun was in his eyes as he was landing his low-wing airplane. He said that there were 3-ft-high berms in the area where the airplane touched down and that the runway was about 30 ft wide. The left wing struck the berm and the weeds. The propeller then impacted the berm, followed by the right wing and tailwheel. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,414 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,383 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 26, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,264 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 16, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D1A (piston); 1,103 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E98 Los Lunas NM at 12:45 pm
- Destination: NM56 Ramah NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 2,870 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KGUP, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CEN17CA345.