Amateur-built S1-S accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 17, 1990
On June 17, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built S1-S, registered N93DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Coronado airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AND TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLL. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE TAILWHEEL LOCKING ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Coronado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S1-S
- Registration
- N93DB · registry record · serial 8-0138
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED THAT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLL WITH A GUSTING CROSSWIND. THE HOMEBUILT BIPLANE DRAGGED ONE WING ON THE RUNWAY, THEN NOSED OVER. THE PLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZERS WERE BENT AND DAMAGED, AND BOTH WINGS WERE DAMAGED ON THE UPPER SURFACES. THE LOWER WINGS WERE FRAYED FROM FRICTION WITH THE RUNWAY. A SELF LOCKING NUT WAS MISSING FROM THE TAIL WHEEL LOCKING CABLE ATTACHMENT, ALLOWING THE TAIL WHEEL TO CASTER FREELY. THE BOLT (TO BE HELD IN PLACE WITH A LOCKING NUT) WAS FOUND ON THE RUNWAY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 410 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 319 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 372 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 22, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V1 Pagosa Sprimgs CO at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17, 4,010 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N93DB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 DEN90LA138.