# Accident 20240420004699A: Bice David E BEARHAWK, Buckhorn, NM, April 20, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 20, 2024, 13:00 local time
- Place: Buckhorn, NM
- Airport: Sacaton
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1825° N, 108.6831° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1825&lon=-108.6831&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1685, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1685) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bice David E BEARHAWK (registry code 05623OC, https://openairdocs.org/model/bice-david-e-bearhawk) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-360 series (registry code 41575, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BICE DAVID E BEARHAWK
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,749 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA128) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240420004699A

## Narrative

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

ON APRIL 20, 2024, AT 1300 MDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL BEAR HAWK, CONTACTED RUNWAY 08 DURING ITS APPROACH TO LANDING AT SACATON AIRPORT (NM16).  THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE ONLY OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS UNINJURED.  THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR, LOWER FUSELEGE AND LEFT WINGTIP.  THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SANDIA AIRPARK, NM (1N1) IN VFR CONDITIONS ON APRIL 20, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1100 MDT.  NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ARRIVED AT NM16 AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 1300 MDT. HE MADE A LOW PASS OVER THE RUNWAY 08 TO CHECK THE CONDITIONS AND THE RUNWAY WAS CLEAR.  HE DETERMINED THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE GOOD. HE STATED THAT ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND A SUDDEN STRONG WIND HIT AND THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE CAME ABRUPTLY UP. HE ADDED FULL POWER BUT THE AIRPLANE HIT THE GROUND TOO SOON TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A SHORT DISTANCE AND REMAINED ON THE RUNWAY. THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, UNDETERMINED DAMAGE TO THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT AND A PROPELLER STRIKE.  HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY AND TIED DOWN.

## 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 WPR24LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA128), Apr 20, 2024: Bearhawk 4-Place (N1685), Buckhorn, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inflight loss of control during landing following an encounter with a wind gust which resulted in a hard landing.

## Other reports on N1685 (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20180410010489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180410010489A), Apr 10, 2018: Bice David E BEARHAWK (N1685), Edgewood, NM, Substantial damage. On April 10, 2018 about 1225 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Bearhawk 4-place experimental single-engine airplane, N1685, ran off the edge of the runway during…
- [Accident 20080927849679A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080927849679A), Sep 27, 2008: Biceda BEARHAWK (N1685), Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. (-23) On September 27, 2008 at approximately 1100 local time, the pilot and sole occupant of N1685, a bice david e. model Bearhawk airplane, veered to the…

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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