A Cirrus SR20 crashed November 3 on relatively flat terrain
in a wildlife refuge near Las Vegas, N.M., killing Ralph Steenson, the
aircraft's non-instrument-rated private pilot and sole occupant. Local METAR observations reported a 500-foot
ceiling, and initial police teletype reports noted heavy fog and mist at the
crash site. There were no witnesses. Lt. Tom Meserve, state police, Las Vegas,
N.M., told AVweb, "I've been to
other crashes ... this guy didn't spiral in. He glanced off the ground and then
the thing started cart-wheeling." He also said the debris field was more
than 800 feet long and 300 feet wide. Bill King, Cirrus vice president of
business administration, told AVweb that
Steenson, 75, had taken Cirrus' training / transition course. Steenson's
daughter Brenda told The Forum that her father began flying in the early 1950s.
The FAA's airman database lists Steenson's private pilot certificate date of
issuance as 01/29/2001. Steenson's daughter said "... he called midway
through the flight. He said it was a beautiful day and a great day." The
accident is the third within the past five weeks for Cirrus models. October
3,
a pilot used the aircraft's parachute after an aileron became partially
detached and on October 15 a Cirrus hit a deer.
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A Cirrus SR20 crashed November 3 on relatively flat terrain
in a wildlife refuge near Las Vegas, N.M., killing Ralph Steenson, the
aircraft's non-instrument-rated private pilot and sole occupant. Local METAR observations reported a 500-foot
ceiling, and initial police teletype reports noted heavy fog and mist at the
crash site. There were no witnesses. Lt. Tom Meserve, state police, Las Vegas,
N.M., told AVweb, "I've been to
other crashes ... this guy didn't spiral in. He glanced off the ground and then
the thing started cart-wheeling." He also said the debris field was more
than 800 feet long and 300 feet wide. Bill King, Cirrus vice president of
business administration, told AVweb that
Steenson, 75, had taken Cirrus' training / transition course. Steenson's
daughter Brenda told The Forum that her father began flying in the early 1950s.
The FAA's airman database lists Steenson's private pilot certificate date of
issuance as 01/29/2001. Steenson's daughter said "... he called midway
through the flight. He said it was a beautiful day and a great day." The
accident is the third within the past five weeks for Cirrus models. 
