Amateur-built GLASAIR TD accident near Moriarity, New Mexico, June 21, 1989
On June 21, 1989 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built GLASAIR TD, registered N544BM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moriarity, New Mexico. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE PROPELLER WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERE VIBRATION AND FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER MOUNTING BOLTS, & THE SEPARATION OF THE PROPELLER FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ROUGH/UNEVEN DESERT TERRAIN CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1989 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moriarity, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR TD
- Registration
- N544BM · no longer on the register · serial 544
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG FLT, THE PROP BEGAN TO WOBBLE & SHOOK THE ACFT VIOLENTLY. HE TURNED THE ACFT AWAY FROM MTNS TO FIND A SUITABLE AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. HOWEVER, AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 400' AGL, THE PROP SEPD & THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND ON DESERT TERRAIN. DRG THE LANDING, THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PROP HAD BEEN MOUNTED ON THE ENG WITH AN EXTENSION, BUT THE EXTENSION DID NOT HAVE A MEANS TO PRECISELY CENTER THE PROP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PROP BEGAN A SEVERE VIBRATION, THE PROP MOUNTING BOLTS FAILED & THE PROP SEPD FROM THE ACFT.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 64 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1989; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TCC Tucumcari NM at 10:15 pm
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.