| Crash location | 35.543055°N, 105.983056°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Santa Fe, NM
35.686975°N, 105.937799°W 10.3 miles away |
| Tail number | N787SB |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 15 Jan 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Bryk Steven L Velocity Xl Rg |
| Additional details: | None |
On January 15, 2018, about 1935 mountain standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Velocity XL-RG single-engine airplane, N787SB, collided with terrain during a forced landing near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Cloud Catcher Properties, Inc, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 with an activated flight plan. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. The personal flight departed Liberal Mid-America Regional Airport (LBL), Liberal, Kansas, about 1832 central standard time, with the intended destination of Santa Fe Municipal Airport (SAF), Santa Fe, New Mexico.
According to preliminary information, the pilot departed LBL under visual flight rules (VFR) and contacted air traffic control (ATC) for VFR flight following to SAF. The pilot subsequently told the controller that the airplane had encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and that the airplane was accumulating airframe structural icing at 9,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The pilot, who was instrument rated, requested an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance to SAF. The controller issued a heading change and told the pilot to climb to 10,000 ft msl; however, the pilot reported that he was unable to maintain altitude and declared an emergency. The final radar return was recorded 8.5 miles southeast of SAF at 300 ft above ground level (agl).
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, who responded to the accident site the following morning, the airplane had landed in rough terrain about 8 miles southeast of SAF. The FAA inspectors observed several accumulations of structural ice on the airframe and along the wreckage debris path. The FAA inspectors also reported that flight control continuity was confirmed at the accident site, the landing gear was found fully retracted, and that the composite propeller had fragmented during impact with terrain.