- Date
- May 5, 2009, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Haines, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1685VCessna 140
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 28, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA, Juneau Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20090505046969A
- Case key
- 73786
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 decision to practice takeoff and landings on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a nose-over on takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 solo commercial pilot reported that he was practicing remote beach takeoffs and landings in his personal airplane. On the accident takeoff, he said that the airplane bounced when it encountered a rocky area and when it touched down again in soft sand, it nosed over. The airplane received substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The solo commercial pilot reported that he was practicing remote beach takeoffs and landings in his personal airplane under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. On the accident takeoff, he said the airplane bounced when it encountered a rocky area, and when it touched down again in soft sand, it nosed over. The airplane received substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1685V
- Reported as
- Cessna 140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 13857
- Engine
- Cont Motor C90 SERIES, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Heras Miguel A
- Registered owner
- Heras Miguel A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Haines, AK
- Destination
- Juneau, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 1,700 total · 550 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 634 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1685V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.