- Date
- May 10, 2011, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Walnut Ridge, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8402KGulfstream-Schweizer A/C Gulfstream AM G-164B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- FAA report
- 20110510007689A
- Case key
- 78291
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 directional control while landing with a left quartering tailwind and wind gusts.
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 pilot reported that while attempting to land his tailwheel equipped airplane in a left-quartering tailwind, he encountered a strong gust of wind and subsequently lost control. The airplane veered off the runway, the left main landing gear sunk in the mud and the airplane nosed over. Both wings, the vertical stabilizer and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated there were no mechanical problems and the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around and landed in the opposite direction.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while attempting to land his tail-wheel equipped airplane in a left-quartering tailwind, he encountered a strong gust of wind and subsequently lost control of the airplane and flipped over. Both wings, the vertical stabilizer and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot stated there were no mechanical problems and the accident could have been prevented if he had executed a go-around and landed in the opposite direction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8402K
- Reported as
- Gulfstream-Schweizer A/C Gulfstream AM G-164B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 687B
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Wilson Flying Service Inc
- Registered owner
- Wilson Flying Service Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- ARG · Walnut Ridge, AR
- Destination
- ARG · Walnut Ridge, AR
- Airport
- ARG · Walnut Ridge, runway 36
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 24,168 total · 2,055 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 1, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 489 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 N8402K · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.