- Date
- January 6, 1997, 16:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Channelview, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6203VConsolidated Aeronautics Lake LA-4-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 25, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970106000929A
- Case key
- 20140
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
Loss of aircraft control due to the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind. Factors were the crosswind, and the muddy terrain.
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.
Analysis
During landing roll/taxi on runway 9, a 'severe wind shear' deviated direction of travel to a muddy portion of the sod runway, and the nose landing gear sunk 6 to 8 inches into the soft ground. The nose landing gear sheared off, and the aircraft continued for 70 feet until it nosed over and came to a stop inverted. The pilot reported the winds at the time of the accident were from 050 degrees at 11 knots.
Factual narrative
On January 6, 1997, at 1600 central standard time, a Consolidated Aeronautics Inc. Lake LA-4-200, N6203V, registered to and operated by a private owner as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, was substantially damaged during landing roll at Skyhaven Airport near Channelview, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The flight originated from Skyhaven Airport, about 40 minutes before the accident.
The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that during landing roll on runway 09, the aircraft drifted to the right side of the sod runway, and the nose landing gear sunk 6 to 8 inches into the soft ground. The nose landing gear sheared off, and the aircraft continued for 70 feet until it nosed over and came to a stop inverted.
The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Accident Report that after landing, while taxiing on the runway to the hangar, a "severe wind shear deviated direction of taxi to a muddy portion of the runway. The nose wheel stuck in the mud causing tail of aircraft to become exposed to wind, which in turn blew aircraft over." The pilot also reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from 050 degrees at 11 knots.
Examination of the aircraft by the FAA inspector revealed that the right wing spar was bent, and a rib running along the fuselage was fractured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6203V
- Reported as
- Consolidated Aeronautics Lake LA-4-200 (LAKE LA-4-)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 853
- Airframe hours
- 1,007
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David R. Layton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 12, 1995 · 107 hours before
- Departed
- 8TX7
- Airport
- 8TX7 · Skyhaven, runway 27, 3,500 × 125 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 696 total · 448 in this make and model · 618 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 18 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 30 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.