- Date
- May 30, 2016, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gerlach, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N45EHG Elwin Halvorsen PA18WB/L21-180
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 22, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160530017879A
- Case key
- 93322
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, resulting in a nose over.
Findings · 4
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
According to the pilot, prior to landing on a dry lake bed, he made one low pass to assess the area where he intended to land. He reported that upon touch down, the wheels broke through the hard layer of the landing surface and there was mud underneath. The main landing gear wheels dug into the mud and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, prior to landing on a dry lake bed, he made one low pass to assess the area where he intended to land. He reported that upon touch down, the wheels broke through the hard layer of the landing surface and there was mud underneath. The main landing gear wheels dug into the mud and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions during the flight with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45EH
- Reported as
- G Elwin Halvorsen PA18WB/L21-180 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- TC0609008
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 184
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 14, 2016
- Departed
- PVT · Reno, NV
- Destination
- 88NV · Gerlach, NV
- Airport
- 88NV · Black Rock City
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Angle of attack indicator
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 17, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 263 total · 118 in this make and model · 263 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KRNO, 81 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.