Grumman G-44A accident near Los Alamos, New Mexico, April 5, 2023
On April 5, 2023 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1945 Grumman G-44A, registered N444M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Los Alamos, New Mexico (Los Alamos Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, resulting in a runway excursion and ground collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2023 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Los Alamos, New Mexico · Los Alamos Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-44A, built 1945 · all G-44As on the register
- Registration
- N444M · registry record · serial 1411
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Both pilots reported that during the takeoff roll, the pilot receiving instruction lost directional control of the airplane and it veered off the runway. The airplane subsequently collided with a parked unoccupied airplane. The left horizontal stabilizer and elevator sustained substantial damaged. The flight instructor reported that the airplane was not equipped with brakes at the right seat position. Both pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Ground collision during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: airship; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 29,296 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 82 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 22,428 as pilot in command; 4,194 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,600 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 6,100 as pilot in command; 35 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 10, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,381.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 2023; 11.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming GO-480 B1D (piston); 1,709 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming GO-480 B1D (piston); 1,709 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLAM Los Alamos NM at 9:00 pm
- Destination: KMEV Minden NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 6,000 ft by 120 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KLAM, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KLAM 052115Z AUTO VRB04KT 8SM CLR 05/M17 A3002
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 WPR23LA152.