Amateur-built GLASAIR 1-RG accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, December 30, 1999
On December 30, 1999 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASAIR 1-RG, registered N1190D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico (Sierra Blanca Reg Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to perform an adequate preflight, and the subsequent partial power loss as a result of water contamination in the fuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 1999 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · Sierra Blanca Reg Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR 1-RG GLASAIR 1-
- Registration
- N1190D · registry record · serial 579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that shortly after takeoff, the engine 'started cutting out and was not developing enough power to maintain altitude.' The pilot made a shallow right turn and landed on a new crosswind runway which was still under construction. The runway was covered with snow, and shortly after touchdown the 'motor caught and I became airborne again.' During the second landing, the airplane impacted foot high gravel piles, and nosed over. The pilot said that he had been getting 'some water' from his fuel tank sump checks over the previous two months.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,866 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 899 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 9, 1999; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRR at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:10 pm from SRR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN00LA034.