- Date
- May 4, 2015, 09:35 local (16:35 UTC)
- Place
- Carson City, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N88FXWatson David E Skybolt
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 8, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150504006109A
- Case key
- 91132
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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot landing the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported he was unable to correct for winds after touchdown and decided to abort the landing. During takeoff the biplane's left lower wing struck a taxiway sign. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Safety Inspector performed a subsequent examination of the biplane, and documented and photographed substantial damage to the bottom left wing spar. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot landing the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported he was unable to correct for winds after touchdown and decided to abort the landing. During takeoff the biplane's left lower wing struck a taxiway sign. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Safety Inspector performed a subsequent examination of the biplane, and documented and photographed substantial damage to the bottom left wing spar. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88FX
- Reported as
- Watson David E Skybolt (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- DEW3923883
- Built
- 1986
- Airframe hours
- 548
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Scronce Anthony W
- Registered owner
- Scronce Anthony W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 1, 2015 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- KCXP · Carson City, NV
- Destination
- KCXP · Carson City, NV
- Airport
- KCXP · Carson City Airport, runway 09, 6,100 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2015
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 443.7 total · 166.6 in this make and model · 387.7 as pilot in command · 9.3 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KCXP
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.