# NTSB CHI05CA107: Whittman Tailwind, N74849, Lyndon, KS, April 27, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 27, 2005, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Lyndon, KS - Coordinates: 38.691944, -95.68972 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6919&lon=-95.6897&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 61445 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA107 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61445/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA107 ## Probable cause The pilot improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his inadequate compensation for a tailwind, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent collision with the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's selection of a wrong runway, the tailwind, trees, and the pond. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis The amateur-built experimental airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over after an aborted landing on runway 16. The pilot reported that he bounced the airplane during landing and he attempted to abort the landing. When he "throttled up to go around," the left wing "dropped" and the crosswind blew the airplane to the left of the runway. He saw trees and a pond ahead so he shut down the engine. The airplane hit on the landing gear but the airplane flipped over during the landing roll. The pilot reported that he had a total of 407 flight hours and 1.7 hours in make and model. The pilot reported the winds were from 270 degrees. The observed winds at the Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP), Topeka, Kansas, about 30 nautical miles north of 39K, were 290 degrees at 8 knots. ## Factual narrative On April 27, 2005, at 1730 central daylight time, an amateur-built experimental Whittman Tailwind, N74849, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over after an aborted landing on runway 16 (2,160 feet by 60 feet, turf/grass) at the Pomona Lake Airport (39K), Lyndon, Kansas. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight departed 39K at 1700 on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he bounced the airplane during landing and he attempted to abort the landing. He reported that he "throttled up to go around" but the left wing "dropped" and the crosswind blew the airplane to the left of the runway. He reported that he saw trees and a pond ahead so he shut down the engine. He reported the airplane hit on the landing gear but the airplane flipped over. The pilot reported that he had a total of 407 flight hours and 1.7 hours in make and model. The pilot reported the winds were from 270 degrees. The observed winds at the Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP), Topeka, Kansas, about 30 nautical miles north of 39K, were 290 degrees at 8 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N74849](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N74849-2013-02-21), registration cancelled 2013-02-21, S/N WH-1, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Whittman Tailwind - Registry model: [Whittman Tailwind W-8](https://openairdocs.org/model/whittman-tailwind-w-8) (registry code 979020J) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-235 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (registry code 41505, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: WH-1 - Engines: Lycoming O-235 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gregory G. Whittaker - Registered owner: Arthur Schefler - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 39K, Lyndon, KS - Airport: 39K, Pomona Lake Airport, runway 16 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; flight hours: 407 total, 2 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20050427007489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050427007489A), Apr 27, 2005: Amtr TAILWINDW8, Lyndon, KS, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 28, 2005, the pilot [privacy data omitted] , holder of private pilot certificate [privacy data omitted], failed to adequately control N74849, a… ## Other investigations on N74849 (1) 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. - [NTSB ATL89DMG04](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL89DMG04), Jul 17, 1989: Wittman, S.J. W-8 (N74849), Washington, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE. 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.