Gulfstream GVI accident near Roswell, New Mexico, April 2, 2011
On April 2, 2011 at about 3:34 pm local time, a Gulfstream GVI, registered N652GD, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Roswell, New Mexico (Roswell Intl Air Center Airpor airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: an aerodynamic stall and subsequent uncommanded roll during a one engine-inoperative takeoff flight test, which were the result of (1) Gulfstream’s failure to properly develop and validate takeoff speeds for the flight tests and recognize and correct the takeoff safety speed (V2) error during previous G650 flight tests, (2) the G650 flight test team’s persistent and increasingly aggressive attempts to achieve V2 speeds that were erroneously low, and (3) Gulfstream’s inadequate investigation of previous G650 uncommanded roll events, which indicated that the company’s estimated stall angle of attack while the airplane was in ground effect was too high. Contributing to the accident was Gulfstream’s failure to effectively manage the G650 flight test program by pursuing an aggressive program schedule without ensuring that the roles and responsibilities of team members had been appropriately defined and implemented, engineering processes had received sufficient technical planning and oversight, potential hazards had been fully identified, and appropriate risk controls had been implemented and were functioning as intended.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2011 · about 3:34 pm local time
- Place
- Roswell, New Mexico · Roswell Intl Air Center Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream GVI G650 · all GVIs on the register
- Registration
- N652GD · no longer on the register · serial 6002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_aviation.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-12-02. On April 2, 2011, about 0934 mountain daylight time, an experimental Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation GVI (G650), N652GD, crashed during takeoff from runway 21 at Roswell International Air Center Airport, Roswell, New Mexico. The two pilots and the two flight test engineers were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and a postcrash fire. The airplane was registered to and operated by Gulfstream as part of its G650 flight test program. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Simulated/training event during takeoff
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Related operating info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Engine out capability › Related operating info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Related operating info
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Flight crew
- cause Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testing › Equip certification/testing › Manufacturer
- cause Organizational issues › Management › Scheduling › Task scheduling/workload › Manufacturer
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › Manufacturer
- cause Organizational issues › Development › Design › Policy/procedure development › Manufacturer
- Organizational issues › Management › Communication (organizational) › Between groups/organizations › Emergency services
- Organizational issues › Management › Communication (organizational) › Between groups/organizations › Airport
- Organizational issues › Management › Communication (organizational) › Between groups/organizations › Manufacturer
- Organizational issues › Management › Resources › Availability of personnel › Airport
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Communication system › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,237 hours in all; 263 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,940 hours in all; 140 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 434 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 100,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce Deutschland BR700-725A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce Deutschland BR700-725A1 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: ROW Roswell NM at 1:00 pm
- Destination: ROW Roswell NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 13,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from KROW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 4 |
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.