# Accident 20180523005829A: Garcia Benigno BABY ACE D, St Johns, AZ, May 23, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2018, 10:37 local time
- Place: St Johns, AZ
- Airport: St Johns Industrial Air Park
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.5192° N, 109.3778° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5192&lon=-109.3778&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4207D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4207D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Garcia Benigno BABY ACE D (registry code 0030444, https://openairdocs.org/model/garcia-benigno-baby-ace-d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GARCIA BENIGNO BABY ACE D
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA298) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180523005829A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON MAY 23, 2018 AT 1737Z, 10:35 A.M. MST; N4207D, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT KNOWN AS A BABY ACE D, WITH AN A&C 65 SERIES CONTINENTAL MOTORS ENGINE, SINGLE ENGINE HIGH WING, FABRIC AIRCRAFT WITH A WOOD FIXED PITCH PROPELLER INSTALLED, MADE AN APPROACH AT (KSJN) ST. JOHNS INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK, TO RUNWAY (RWY) 3 WHICH IS 3400 FT. LONG BY 60 FT. WIDE, ASPHALT SURFACE IN GOOD CONDITION.

KSJN AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 5737 FT. WITH A 0.7 % GRADIENT.  39 FT TREE, 440 FT. FROM RUNWAY, 75 FT. LEFT OF CENTERLINE, 6:1 SLOPE TO CLEAR, APPROACH RATIO 16:1 TO DISPLACED THRESHOLD BASED ON 60 FT. TREE, 1018 FT. FROM DISPLACED THRESHOLD, ON CENTERLINE. MARKINGS ARE BASIC AND IN GOOD CONDITION.

AS INTERVIEWED WITH THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT CAME IN TO RWY 3 AND THE PILOT NOTICED A CROSSWIND FROM HIGH UP IN THE APPROACH BUT BARELY ANY WIND ON THE SURFACE.  THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN 15 FEET LEFT OF CENTERLINE JUST BEFORE B2 TAXIWAY (TWY) ENTRANCE.  THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT IN A FASHION THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO MOVE LEFT AND THEN RIGHT EXACERBATING A SWERVING MOTION CREATING A MOMENT OF LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED 260 FT BEFORE EXITING RWY 3 TO THE RIGHT OFF INTO THE DIRT, DOWNHILL OFF THE RUNWAY BERM TRAVELING A TOTAL OF 314 FT. FROM THE ORIGINAL TOUCH DOWN AREA. JUST BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO A STOP, THE MOMENTUM OF THE AIRCRAFT AND FROM APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL OVER ONTO ITS NOSE STRIKING THE PROP ONTO THE GROUND.  THEN THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OVER ONTO THE UPPER HIGH WING WHERE THE AIRCRAFT RESTED UPSIDE DOWN.  BEFORE EXITING THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT MANAGED TO TURNED THE ENGINE OFF TO MINIMIZE ENGINE DAMAGE.  IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS ROLL OVER, THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE HIGH WING STRUCTURE IN THE MIDDLE NEAR THE BRACING AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE DUE TO THE UNEVEN TERRAIN.

WEATHER (WX) THAT DAY INDICATES WINDS WERE BLOWING FROM 090 OUT OF THE EAST AROUND 7 KNOTS AT 1654Z, ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE AROUND 1735Z, NEXT WX PLOT WAS AT 1754Z WINDS BLOWING FROM 250 OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AROUND 7 KNOTS. BOTH WX PLOTS WERE CLEAR OF CLOUDS WITH 10 STATUTE MILES OF VISIBILITY, ALTIMETER READING WAS A3007 CHANGING TO A3009.

DURING THE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT IT WAS NOTED THAT WHEELS AND BEARINGS MOVED FREELY WITH NO ISSUES OR BINDING OF ANY TYPE.  THE FLIGHT CONTROLS MOVED FREELY AND NO DISCONNECTIONS WERE FOUND.  ENGINE CONTROLS MOVED FREELY WITH NO DISCONNECTIONS FOUND.

AMENDMENT EXPECTED AFTER THE RETURN OF THE OWNER TO HIS HOME LOCATION TO GATHER LOGBOOK INFORMATION.  UNKNOWN CHECKED ITEMS WILL BE LATER AMENDED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB GAA18CA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA298), May 23, 2018: Garcia Benigno Baby ACE D (N4207D), St. Johns, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting, quartering tailwind conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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