Peck Norman O PECK P-1 N16NM

Summary

On 18 May 2013 at about 17:50 local time, a Peck Norman O PECK P-1 registered N16NM was involved in an accident near Aztec, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 May 2013 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Aztec, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Aztec Municipal Airport (N19)

Coordinates

36.8356, -108.0239

Aircraft

Peck Norman O PECK P-1

Registration

N16NM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aztec → Aztec

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA299

1 person died.

The pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident fire damage precluded a complete examination of the airplane. 

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a personal flight in the amateur-built airplane. A witness reported that he saw the pilot start up the airplane and take off. Just after becoming airborne, the airplane impacted a berm on the right side of the runway, spun 180 degrees, and then came to rest. A postcrash fire ensued, which consumed a majority of the airplane. Examination of the airplane wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, a complete examination could not be conducted due to extensive fire damage. The left side of the engine did exhibit more fire damage than other areas, which may indicate that a fuel leak occurred or that the fire started at that location from another source. Further, someone who knew the pilot reported that, after the previous flight, the pilot had indicated that fuel had pooled on the cockpit floor. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot becoming distracted during takeoff, possibly by a fuel leak or onboard fire; however, neither scenario could be verified. Therefore, the reason that the pilot did not maintain airplane control during takeoff could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.