- Date
- September 11, 2018, 12:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Carson, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N289MMVans Vans RV 8
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180911013429A
- Case key
- 98283
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control in gusting, right 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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane was "slightly fast," touched down "firm" on the runway, and then bounced. He increased the engine power to cushion the subsequent landing, but the airplane touched down "left wing low" and pointed right. He then corrected with opposite rudder and brake, but the airplane veered right and exited the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 240° at 9 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 09.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during landing, the airplane was "slightly fast", touched down "firm" on the runway and bounced. He increased the engine power to cushion the subsequent landing, but the airplane touched down "left wing low" and pointed to the right. He then corrected with opposite rudder and brake, but airplane veered right, and exited the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 240° at 9 knots, gusting 20 knots. The airplane landed on runway 09.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N289MM
- Reported as
- Vans Vans RV 8 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 81934
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 1,108.5
- Engine
- Titan IO-361A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 12, 2018
- Departed
- BIH · Bishop, CA
- Destination
- CXP · Carson, NV
- Airport
- CXP · Carson, runway 09, 6,101 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS
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
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 26, 2018
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,800 total · 1,142 in this make and model · 3,800 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 9 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Observed at
- KCXP, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 30, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 686 KB 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.