# NTSB CHI04CA208: Cherkas Murphy Rebel, Dunseith, ND, July 31, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 31, 2004, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Dunseith, ND - Coordinates: 48.997776, -100.043334 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.9978&lon=-100.0433&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Fargo FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59946 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04CA208 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59946/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04CA208 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudged speed/distance, and his failure to maintain directional control during landing roll, which resulted in the inadvertent ground-loop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - proper touchdown point - exceeded, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane ground-looped during landing roll. The pilot reported he performed a three-point landing and continued to rollout straight down the runway for another 200 feet prior to the airplane beginning to drift to the left. The pilot stated he attempted to correct for the drift by applying "full right rudder and brake" but the airplane "would not turn". The pilot reported the airplane departed the runway surface after turning 120-degrees to the left. The pilot stated the airplane transitioned from the runway into a field and came to a stop facing 180-degrees from the runway heading. According to an on-site investigation, the airplane landed on the last third of the 3,000 foot runway and departed the left side of the runway approximately 375 feet from the end of the runway. There were brake skid marks that measured approximately 150 feet leading up to where the airplane departed the runway surface. ## Factual narrative On July 31, 2004, at 1700 central daylight time, an amateur-built Cherkas Murphy Rebel, Canadian registration C-GKHN, built and piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged while landing on runway 28 (3,000 feet by 60 feet, dry asphalt) at the International Peace Garden Airport (S28), Dunseith, North Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger reported no injuries. The cross-country flight departed Little Falls/Morrison County Airport (LXL), Little Falls, Minnesota, at 1400. The pilot reported that he performed a three-point landing and continued to rollout straight down the runway for another 200 feet prior to the airplane beginning to drift to the left. The pilot stated he attempted to correct for the drift by applying "full right rudder and brake" but the airplane "would not turn". The pilot reported the airplane departed the runway surface after turning 120-degrees to the left. The pilot stated the airplane transitioned from the runway into a field and came to a stop facing 180-degrees from the runway heading. The pilot stated that he inspected the tailwheel after the accident. The pilot reported that the release to the swivel-sleeve was burred and as a result it restricted the rotation of the tailwheel. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an on-site investigation. According to the inspector, the airplane landed on the last third of the runway and departed the left side of the runway approximately 375 feet from the end of the runway. The inspector stated there were brake skid marks that measured approximately 150 feet leading up to where the airplane departed the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: C-GKHN (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cherkas Murphy Rebel - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 505 - Airframe hours: 89.3 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: LXL, Little Falls, MN - Destination: S28, Dunseith, ND - Airport: S28, International Peace Garden Apt, runway 28, 3,000 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 600 total, 89 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 11 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.79 inHg - Observed at: MOT, 66 nm away From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.