- Date
- February 20, 2017, 09:40 local (15:40 UTC)
- Place
- Valparaiso, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9277KStinson 108
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170220002689A
- Case key
- 94759
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 while landing with a crosswind.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, as the tail came down, a "sizable gust weathervaned" the airplane to the left. He added that, he "made aggressive inputs to correct the direction" but was unsuccessful. He further added that, once the airplane veered off the runway and into the grass, he could feel the mains begin to sink into the soft ground. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift struts and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about 16 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 170° at 9 knots. The airplane landed on runway 18.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, as the tail came down, a "sizable gust weathervaned" the airplane to the left. He added that, he "made aggressive inputs to correct the direction", but was unsuccessful. He further added that, once the airplane veered off the runway and into the grass, he could feel the mains begin to sink into the soft ground. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift struts and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport, revealed that, about 16 minutes after the accident, the wind was 170° at 9 knots. The airplane landed on runway 18.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9277K
- Reported as
- Stinson 108 (2)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-2277
- Built
- 1947
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4165 SERIES, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Private, IN
- Destination
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Airport
- VPZ · Porter County Rgnl, runway 18, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 4, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 330 total · 296 in this make and model · 241 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KVPZ
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.