CHI01LA210

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 140 · Spearfish, SD · July 14, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 13, 2001, 20:06 local (Jul 14, 2001, 02:06 UTC)
Place
Spearfish, SD
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2005VCessna 140
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 23, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20010713015889A
Case key
52728

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot failed to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and his lack of experience in the make and model of the accident airplane.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Recovery from bounced landing - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Lack of familiarity with aircraftPilot in commandFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Main gear collapsedLanding - flare/touchdown
Landing gear,main gear - overload

Analysis

The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control while landing on on the grass airstrip. The pilot reported that he departed the airport and made a left hand traffic pattern to land on runway 08. He reported he was going to make a full stop landing using rudder control on the grass runway. He continued to report, "Airplane started going to right. Used small corrections left rudder. Did not change made more corrections, Airplane was leaving right side of runway. The I believe I pushed on both rudders and brakes. Airplane turned sharp right hand 90 [degree] turn. Broke left, slammed left wing into ground." A witness to the accident reported, "The plane touched down, bounced up a little and then touched down again and started veering to the right. The right wheel broke off and the plane tipped over on the left wing." The student pilot reported a total of 52 hours of flight time, 14 of which were in the accident make and model of airplane.

Factual narrative

On July 13, 2001, at 2006 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 140, N2005V, collided with the terrain following a loss of control while landing on runway 08 (3,975 feet by 100 feet, grass) at the Black Hills-Ice Airport, Spearfish, South Dakota. The student pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at Spearfish, South Dakota, at 2000.

The pilot reported that he departed the airport and made a left hand traffic pattern to land on runway 08. He reported he was going to make a full stop landing using rudder control on the grass runway. He continued to report, "Airplane started going to right. Used small corrections left rudder. Did not change made more corrections, Airplane was leaving right side of runway. The I believe I pushed on both rudders and brakes. Airplane turned sharp right hand 90 [degree] turn. Broke left, slammed left wing into ground."

A witness to the accident reported, "The plane touched down, bounced up a little and then touched down again and started veering to the right. The right wheel broke off and the plane tipped over on the left wing."

On the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report form completed by the pilot, he indicated that there was no mechanical failure or malfunction of the airplane.

The student pilot reported a total of 52 hours of flight time, 14 of which were in the accident make and model of airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N2005V
Reported as
Cessna 140
Category
Airplane
Serial number
14216
Airframe hours
4,777
Engine
Lycoming O-235-C1, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Donald L. Lamb
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 16, 2000 · 21 hours before
Departed
SPF · Spearfish, SD
Destination
SPF · Spearfish, SD
Airport
SPF · Black Hills-Ice, runway 080, 3,975 × 100 ft, grass/turf

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
42
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
52 total · 14 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 6 knots
Visibility
30 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
25,000 ft broken
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
RCA, 36 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.