Ruidoso – North Las Vegas

On April 23, 1999 at 10:23 AM, Ruidoso – North Las Vegas experienced a crash involving Piper PA-61 Aerostar (Ted Smith 601), operated by Michael H. Wright, with the event recorded near Ruidoso-Sierra Blanca New Mexico.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The pilot departed on runway 06 with zero degrees of flaps. A witness said that she noticed that the airplane appeared to wobble and shudder, and immediately went into a steep right bank turn right after takeoff. The airplane then went into the clouds which were 200 to 400 feet agl. Radar data indicated that the airplane made several 90 degree turns prior to impacting the mountainous terrain 2.55 nm from the departure end of the runway. The pilot normally used 20 degrees of flaps for takeoff. A test pilot said that the airplane handles significantly different during takeoff if zero degrees of flaps are used verses 20 degrees of flaps. The upper cabin's entry door was found, with the locking handle and locking pins, in the closed position. No preimpact engine or airframe anomalies, which might have affected the airplane's performance, were identified.

Aircraft reference details include registration N48MD, MSN 61-0492-201, year of manufacture 1978.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 33.3540°, -105.6627°.