- Date
- November 21, 2023, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eau Claire, WI · grassy area adjacent to runway 32
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N274LCBearhawk Four
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20231121017059A
- Case key
- 193412
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 during landing.
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
During the landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane bounced once then veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder but was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane exited the runway and ground looped, which resulted in separation of the right main landing gear and substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N274LC
- Reported as
- Bearhawk Four
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 68
- Built
- 2023
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 14, 2023
- Departed
- EAU · Eau Claire, WI
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- EAU · Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, runway 32, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display
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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 24, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,555 total · 2 in this make and model · 3,555 as pilot in command · 42 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KEAU
- METAR
- KEAU 211609Z 34005KT 10SM OVC022 04/M01 A3002 RMK AO2 T00391011
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB 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.