- Date
- July 6, 2019, 17:00 local (Jul 7, 2019, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anacortes, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7169KDonald Bernard Higgs Pietenpol
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190706010499A
- Case key
- 99802
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 failure of the left main landing gear attachment point during the landing roll for reasons that could not be determined because the attachment was not examined, which resulted in a loss of directional control, collision with a drainage culvert, and a subsequent nose-over.
Findings · 2
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 this was the first test flight after the experimental, amateur-built airplane had been reassembled following purchase and transport. The pilot performed two high-speed taxi runs, he back taxied, and then he took off. During the landing roll, "the left front landing gear attachment lugs broke off the mount fitting." The pilot lost directional control of the airplane, and it ground looped to the right. The airplane entered a ditch and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing aft lift strut. The left main landing gear attachment was not examined; therefore, the reason for its failure could not be determined.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, this was the first test flight after the airplane had been reassembled following purchase and transport. The pilot performed two high-speed taxi runs, he back taxied and subsequently took off. During the landing roll, "the left front landing gear attachment lugs broke off the mount fitting." The pilot lost directional control of the airplane and ground-looped to the right. The airplane entered a ditch and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing aft lift strut.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7169K
- Reported as
- Donald Bernard Higgs Pietenpol
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Built
- 1991
- Airframe hours
- 90.5
- Engine
- Ford Model B, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 2, 2019
- Departed
- 74S · Anacortes, WA
- Destination
- 74S · Anacortes, WA
- Airport
- 74S · Anacortes, runway 18, 3,015 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 27, 2017
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,775 total · 35 in this make and model · 4,775 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Observed at
- KNUW, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.