- Date
- May 23, 2018, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- St. Johns, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4207DGarcia Benigno Baby ACE D
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180523005829A
- Case key
- 97320
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 landing in gusting, quartering tailwind conditions.
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 reported that, immediately after landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered left and then right. Subsequently, he applied "heavy" brakes, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 3.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, immediately after landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered left and then right. Subsequently, he applied "heavy" brakes, the airplane exited the right side of the runway, and came to rest nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed on runway 3.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4207D
- Reported as
- Garcia Benigno Baby ACE D (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 346
- Built
- 1983
- Airframe hours
- 602.1
- Engine
- Contintental A65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 19, 2018
- Departed
- GNT · Grants, NM
- Destination
- SJN · St. Johns, AZ
- Airport
- SJN · St Johns Industrial Air Park, runway 3, 3,400 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 30, 2018
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 900 total · 65 in this make and model · 800 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KSJN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.2 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.