- Date
- April 1, 2017, 11:54 local (18:54 UTC)
- Place
- Willcox, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9898RRonald J Bender Baking Duce
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 94956
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 the landing roll after encountering a dirt devil.
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 the landing roll and as he pulled the power to idle and lowered the tail, he raised the flaps and that the airplane then encountered a "sudden and strong wind" that caused it to weather-vane. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway, the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both right and left wings and both lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll as he pulled the power to idle and lowered the tail, he raised the flaps and the airplane encountered a "sudden and strong wind" that caused the airplane to weather-vane. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway, the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both right and left wings and both lift struts. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9898R
- Reported as
- Ronald J Bender Baking Duce (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0001
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 12
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-G, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 25, 2017
- Departed
- LSB · Lordsburg, NM
- Destination
- P33 · Willcox, AZ
- Airport
- P33 · Cochise County, runway 21, 6,095 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 2, 2016
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 991 total · 2 in this make and model · 922 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAD, 39 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.