- Date
- March 16, 2018, 01:10 local (08:10 UTC)
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N473CCCubcrafters CC11-160
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report June 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180316002829A
- Case key
- 96893
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 during the landing roll in a gusting crosswind conditions, which exceeded the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind and resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear.
Findings · 5
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 tundra-tire- and tailwheel-equipped airplane was making a night landing at a high-altitude airport. He reported that, to mitigate the crosswind component, he decided to land from right to left on the 100-ft-wide runway. He added that the wheel landing was normal, but the airplane would not return to centerline from the left side of the runway. He added power to go around, but the left main wheel sheared off, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 19 knots, gusting 31 knots. The airplane landed on runway 27. The airplane's operating handbook stated that the maximum demonstrated crosswind component was 13 mph/11 knots. The calculated crosswind component using steady winds was 15 knots, using gusting winds, it was 24 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tundra tire and tailwheel-equipped airplane was making a night landing at a high-altitude airport. He reported that, to mitigate the crosswind component, he decided to land from right to left on the 100-foot-wide runway. He added that the wheel landing was normal, but the airplane would not return to centerline from the left side of the runway. He added power to go around, but the left main wheel sheared off, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 19 knots, gusting 31 knots. The airplane landed on runway 27. The airplane's operating handbook stated that the maximum demonstrated crosswind component was 13 mph/11 knots. The calculated crosswind component using steady winds is 15 knots, using gust winds is 24 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N473CC
- Reported as
- Cubcrafters CC11-160 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CC11-00254
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 310.8
- Engine
- Titan CC340, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 11, 2017
- Departed
- BIH · Bishop, CA
- Destination
- MMH · Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Airport
- MMH · Mammoth Yosemite, runway 27, 7,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, 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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 26, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,480.3 total · 300.7 in this make and model · 1,137.9 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 3.2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 220° at 19 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 5 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KMMH, 1 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 2, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.