- Date
- March 11, 2017, 13:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Minden, NV
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N56FDDavis Frank R Xenos Motorglider
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170311002029A
- Case key
- 94882
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 in variable wind conditions.
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, during touchdown, the airplane "weathervaned to the left and full right rudder could not keep it on the runway." Subsequently, the main landing gear dug into the soft mud, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 6 knots. The pilot landed on runway 34.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during touchdown the airplane "weathervaned to the left and full right rudder could not keep it on the runway". Subsequently, the main landing gear dug into the soft mud and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located on the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 6 knots. The pilot landed on runway 34.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56FD
- Reported as
- Davis Frank R Xenos Motorglider (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Glider, amateur-built
- Serial number
- XNS-019
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 74
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 12, 2016
- Departed
- MEV · Minden, NV
- Destination
- MEV · Minden, NV
- Airport
- MEV · Minden-Tahoe, runway 34, 7,399 × 100 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
- 81
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,277 total · 74 in this make and model · 4,078 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- KMEV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 19, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.