CHI05CA098

NTSB accident investigation · Curl Avid Air Magnum · Cando, ND · April 16, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 16, 2005, 10:50 local (15:50 UTC)
Place
Cando, ND
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N774CACurl Avid Air Magnum
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 7, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration - Fargo FSDO
FAA report
20050416007499A
Case key
61423

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's failure to compensate for the crosswind condition and maintain directional control during landing rollout. Factors to the accident were the crosswind and the muddy drainage ditch.

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 - roll
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Weather condition - crosswindFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ditchFactor
Terrain condition - muddyFactor
Nose overLanding - roll

Analysis

The airplane nosed-over after departing the left side of runway 34 during landing rollout. The pilot stated that prior to landing the windsock indicated the wind was from 280 degrees magnetic at 5 to 10 knots. The pilot reported that he made an uneventful two-point (wheels-on) touchdown on runway 34 and after the airplane had rolled 150 to 200 feet it experienced a "severe" crosswind that "forced" the airplane to the right. The pilot stated that he "quickly" applied a left rudder input followed by a right rudder input, resulting in an S-turn with the tail on the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane was "forced off" the left side of the runway into a muddy drainage ditch.

Factual narrative

On April 16, 2005, at 1050 central daylight time, an amateur-built Curl Avid Air Magnum airplane, N774CA, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over while landing on runway 34 (3,500 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) at Cando Municipal Airport (9D7), Cando, North Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local area flight departed 9D7 at 0920.

The pilot reported that at the time of departure there was a "minimal" crosswind from 280-290 degrees magnetic. The pilot reported that the conditions were "ideal" to practice crosswind takeoffs/landings, and he made four touch-and-goes prior to departing the traffic-pattern for the local area flight.

The pilot reported that when he returned to the airport the windsock indicated the wind was from 280 degrees magnetic at 5 to 10 knots. The pilot stated that he made an uneventful two-point (wheels-on) touchdown on runway 34 and after the airplane had rolled 150 to 200 feet it experienced a "severe" crosswind that "forced" the airplane to the right. The pilot reported that he "quickly" applied a left rudder input followed by a right rudder input, resulting in an S-turn with the tail on the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane was "forced off" the left side of the runway into a muddy drainage ditch. The airplane subsequently nosed-over in the drainage ditch.

Wind information was collected from the weather observing station located at the Devils Lake Municipal Airport (DVL), situated about 25 nm southeast of the accident site. The wind data recorded between 0855 and 1255 indicated the wind was primarily out of the southwest (210-240 degrees magnetic) between 4 and 8 knots with no gusts.

Aircraft

Registration
N774CA
Reported as
Curl Avid Air Magnum
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
101M
Airframe hours
69.1
Engine
Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · June 20, 2004 · 56.1 hours before
Departed
9D7 · Cando, ND
Destination
9D7 · Cando, ND
Airport
9D7 · Cando Municipal Airport, runway 34, 3,500 × 60 ft, asphalt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
73
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
November 22, 2002
Seat
Left
Flight hours
219 total · 8 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
230° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
55 °F, dew point 27 °F
Altimeter
30.20 inHg
Observed at
DVL, 25 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.