Windy Conditions Made Flight Challenging, Four Fatally Injured

The pilot of a Mooney M20E attempting to depart Angle Fire Airport (KAXX) in New Mexico for a return trip to Dallas, TX following a ski vacation went down shortly after takeoff, resulting in the fatal injury of all four people on board. Winds at the time of the departure were reported to be 33 knots gusting to 47 knots, but the pilot told an FBO employee that the winds "would not be a problem," and attempted the departure. The Associated Press reports that those on board were pilot John Verhalen III, his girlfriend, his sister, and the sister's teenage daughter.

NTSB Identification: CEN13FA183
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, March 03, 2013 in Angel Fire, NM
Aircraft: MOONEY M20E, registration: N3484X
Injuries: 4 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On March 3, 2013, about 1320 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20E, N3484X, impacted terrain after departing the Angel Fire Airport (KAXX), Angel Fire, New Mexico. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged and a post-impact fire ensued. The aircraft was registered to and operated by Verhalen Flyers LLC, Scottsville, Texas, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The flight was departing KAXX at the time of the accident and was destined to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

When the pilot arrived at the fixed base operator (FBO), an employee from the FBO questioned the pilot's intent to fly in the windy weather. The pilot indicated that he planned to fly and that the winds would not be a problem. When the pilot radioed on universal communications (UNICOM) that he was taxiing to runway 17, the current wind and altimeter were relayed to the pilot by the FBO employee, which were repeated by the pilot. Due to snow piles on the airfield, the FBO employee could not see the takeoff and next saw the airplane airborne with a significant crab angle into the wind, about 40 degrees right of the runway heading. The airplane rose and fell repeatedly as its wings rocked. Then employee saw the airplane's right wing rise rapidly. The airplane rolled left, and descended inverted with the airplane’s nose pointed straight down.

At 1315, an automated weather reporting facility located at KAXX, reported wind from 250 degrees at 33 knots gusting to 47 knots, visibility 10 miles, a clear sky, temperature 47 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 17 F, and a barometric pressure of 29.93 inches of mercury.

(Mooney M20E pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov