NTSB Factual Report

On November 6, 2006, approximately 1500 mountain standard time, a Beech P35 single-engine airplane, N102H, and a Beech K35 single-engine airplane, N5368E, collided during landing on runway 27 at Los Alamos County Airport, Los Alamos, New Mexico. Both airplanes sustained minor damage. N102H was registered to and operated by the pilot, and N5368E was registered to Bonzair LLC, Taos, New Mexico and operated by the pilot. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant of N102H, was not injured, and the airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger of N5368E were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the incident for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flights. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for N102H, and no flight plan was filed for N5368E. N102H departed Meadow Lake Airport (00V), Peyton, Colorado, at 1330, and was destined for LAM; N5368E departed Yerington Municipal Airport (O43), Yerington, Nevada, at an unknown time and was destined for LAM.

According to the pilot of N102H, he approached LAM from the north. At the Otowi Bridge, a local reporting location for LAM, he reported on LAM's common traffic advisory (CTAF) frequency, 123.0 MHz, his position, altitude, and intention to land at LAM. The pilot completed his pre-landing checks approximately 1/2 miles from the runway 27 threshold and did not note any other aircraft or objects on the runway. Approximately 10 feet above the runway, the pilot began to initiate his landing flare when he heard a "clunk" sound. The airplane began what the pilot thought was his landing roll; however, his airplane was still 6 to 7 feet above the runway. The pilot then noticed his airplane begin to turn to the right and he attempted to correct to the left. Subsequently, the pilot observed another airplane underneath his airplane. Both airplanes turned to the right and came to rest on the runway. The pilot did not receive any transmissions from other aircraft in the area at the time of his approach and landing.

According to the pilot of N5368E, he and his passenger (co-owner of the airplane) decided to stop for fuel at LAM prior to heading to Taos, New Mexico, which was their final destination. While en route with flight following from Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), the pilot and passenger reviewed the LAM airport chart because LAM was an "unfamiliar airport." The pilot approached LAM from the north, and he reported his position, altitude and intentions on the frequency 122.8 MHz. During the approach, the pilot and passenger did not hear over the radio or see any other aircraft in the area. The airplane entered a right base for runway 27 at 8,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27 and approximately one second after touchdown, N102H landed on top of his airplane.

The Los Alamos Airport, LAM, is a public, uncontrolled airport located 1 mile east of Los Alamos, New Mexico, at 35 degrees, 52.788 minutes north latitude, and 106 degrees, 16.165 minutes west longitude, at a surveyed elevation of 7,171 feet. The airport features one asphalt runway, Runway 9/27, which is 5,550 feet by 113 feet. Operational restrictions require all landings to be conducted to the west and all takeoffs to the east. Additional remarks include the following: left hand traffic pattern from left base over the river east of town of White Rock due to restricted area south of town; radio communication required before entering traffic pattern. The CTAF for the airport is 123.0 MHz.

NTSB Probable Cause

the failure of both pilots to maintain adequate visual lookout during the visual approach. A contributing factor was the failure of the N5368E's pilot to communicate his intentions on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency.