- Date
- August 14, 2008, 12:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place
- Deadhorse, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N799CCWalker AK Bush Flyer
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20080814845149A
- Case key
- 68809
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll. A factor contributing to the accident was a tailwind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial pilot related that while landing the experimental, amateur built tailwheel airplane at an off-airport, tundra-covered site, the tail started to rise. He said he was unable to keep the tail from rising, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing and both wing lift struts. The pilot noted that the airplane was exceptionally light, with no significant weight in the rear compartments. He said that the lack of the weight, coupled with a slight tailwind, added to his difficulty in controlling the airplane. He stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The commercial pilot related that while landing the experimental, amateur built tailwheel airplane at an off-airport, tundra-covered site, the tail started to rise. He said he was unable to keep the tail from rising, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing and both wing lift struts. The pilot noted that the airplane was exceptionally light, with no significant weight in the rear compartments. He said that the lack of the weight, coupled with a slight tailwind, added to his difficulty in controlling the airplane. He stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N799CC
- Reported as
- Walker AK Bush Flyer
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001-2004
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Ernest R. Walker
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Deadhorse, AK
- Destination
- Deadhorse, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2008
- Flight hours
- 1,482 total · 302 in this make and model · 1,398 as pilot in command · 58 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.