Butler AEROSTAR 600 accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico, September 11, 1991
On September 11, 1991 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Butler AEROSTAR 600, registered N4VH, was destroyed in an accident near Ruidoso, New Mexico (Sierra Blanca Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT AFTER TO THE CABIN DOOR OPENED INADVERTENTLY DURING TAKEOFF RUN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1991 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ruidoso, New Mexico · Sierra Blanca Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Butler AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N4VH · registry record · serial 60-0055-125
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE DEPARTING ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE AN ABNORMALLY LONG TAKEOFF ROLL AND TO ROTATE ABRUPTLY TO A HIGHER THAN NORMAL NOSE ATTITUDE. INITIAL CLIMB WAS FOLLOWED BY SETTLING WITH A HIGH NOSE ATTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS FOUND IN THE UNLOCKED POSITION AND THE LOWER HALF WAS FOUND NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE WRECKAGE PATH WITH IMPACT DAMAGE. THE TOP HALF WAS FOUND FURTHER DOWN THE WRECKAGE PATH AND HAD SUSTAINED FIRE DAMAGE. THE AEROSTAR HAS AN OBSERVED DRAG AND PITCH PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION IF THE CABIN DOOR OPENS DURING TAKEOFF RUN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-F1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 8,100 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from SRR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.