- Date
- May 31, 2009, 19:30 local (Jun 1, 2009, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Nome, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94995Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090531047409A
- Case key
- 73945
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 selection of an unsuitable landing/takeoff area.
Findings · 4
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 private pilot was landing a tailwheel airplane at a 400-foot-long, uphill, off-airport site. The pilot noted that the departure end of the site was adjacent to a 500-foot-high ocean bluff cliff. He said that while landing, he inadvertently touched down about 100 feet beyond his intended touchdown point. Realizing he would be unable to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the site, he said he applied heavy braking at the end of the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing, left wing lift strut, and empennage. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should have selected a better area to land on.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was landing a tailwheel airplane at a 400 foot long, uphill, off-airport site, during a Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The pilot noted that the departure end of the site was adjacent to a 500 foot high ocean bluff cliff. He said that while landing he inadvertently touched down about 100 feet beyond his intended touchdown point. Realizing he would be unable to stop the airplane before reaching the end of the site, he said he applied heavy braking at the end of the landing roll, and the airplane nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing, left wing lift strut, and empennage. The pilot said there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that he should have selected a better area to land on.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94995
- Reported as
- Taylorcraft BC12-D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9395
- Airframe hours
- 2,455
- Engine
- Cont Motor C85 SERIES, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Shannon Christopher R
- Registered owner
- Shannon Christopher R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2008 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- OME · Nome, AK
- Destination
- Nome, 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
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 449 total · 409 in this make and model · 449 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 695 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.