Flight Design GMBH CTSW accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 22, 2021
On April 22, 2021 at about 4:04 pm local time, a 2006 Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registered N378CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A leak in the oil line that supplied the engine with oil, which resulted in oil exhaustion and the total loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the routing of the oil line to close to the exhaust manifold.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2021 · about 4:04 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTSW, built 2006 · all CTSWs on the register
- Registration
- N378CT · no longer on the register · serial 06-02-10
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On an instructional flight, a flight instructor and the pilot receiving instruction practiced touch and go landing maneuvers and were en route back to their destination. The pilot noticed the oil pressure had decreased and positioned the airplane to fly over a suitable landing environment. However, the oil pressure continued to decrease and when the pressure reached about 4 psi, the engine abruptly stopped. Subsequently, the flight instructor made a forced landing on a dirt field. During the ground roll, the nose wheel struck a rock and the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a leak in the oil line supplying oil to the engine. The leak in the oil line likely led to the loss of oil during flight and resulted in the abrupt loss of engine power. The damage to the oil line was consistent with heat damage, which was likely a result of it having been routed too close to the exhaust manifold.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › Eng oil dist (airframe furn) › Damaged/degraded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Unknown/Not determined
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 3,983 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,720 as pilot in command; 991 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 32 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 27, 2021
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,526 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 8, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier/Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 1,526 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 3:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:14 am from KSAF, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSAF 221614Z 14011KT 10SM CLR 11/M07 A2995 RMK AO2 T01061067
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on September 20, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engine Monitoring System - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Attachment 1 to Engine Monitoring System - Specialist's Factual Report | data file | Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Data Plots | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Examination Summary Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.