- Date
- January 9, 2017, 16:00 local (Jan 10, 2017, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Milton-Freewater, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9598ZChristen Industries A 1
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170109017809A
- Case key
- 94588
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 decision to take off from unsuitable terrain with a tailwind, which resulted 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
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while en route, the engine had "slight roughness," so he decided to land in an open snow-covered field on top of a hill to troubleshoot the issue. The pilot further reported that he resolved the engine issue on the ground and decided to take off downhill with a tailwind. During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that he "noticed [wind] gust on the tail," the main landing gear were "sucked down" in a 1-ft-deep snow drift, and the airplane nosed over. The left wing, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that while en route the engine had "slight roughness," so he decided to land in an open snow covered field on top of a hill to troubleshoot the issue. The pilot further reported that he was able to resolve the engine issue on the ground and decided to takeoff downhill with a tailwind. During the takeoff roll, the pilot reported that he "noticed [wind] gust on the tail," the main landing gear were "sucked down" in a one-foot snow drift, and the airplane nosed over. The left wing, fuselage, and vertical stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9598Z
- Reported as
- Christen Industries A 1 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1102
- Built
- 1989
- Airframe hours
- 1,510
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 24, 2016
- Departed
- S95 · College Place, WA
- Destination
- Milton-Freewater, OR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,057 total · 848 in this make and model · 1,057 as pilot in command · 21.7 in the last 90 days · 7.6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.72 inHg
- Observed at
- KALW, 10 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 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.