- Date
- August 24, 1990, 13:01 local (21:01 UTC)
- Place
- Petaluma, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N82KFde Havilland DH-82A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900824036009A
- Case key
- 26904
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.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot reported that on final approach, the crosswind was abt 10 - 15 deg off the nose. The aircraft touched down on the main wheels, but when the tailwheel began to settle at abt midfield, the airplane swerved to the right. The plt failed to maintain direct control and the airplane entered into soft dirt. Subsequently, the main gear collapsed and the aircrat nosed over onto its back. Gnd witnesses reported that the winds at the approach end were light & variable, but at midfield the winds were extremely variable and gusty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82KF
- Reported as
- de Havilland DH-82A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 90681
- Engine
- de Havilland 1C, 130 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Traversi, David C.
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- 069
- Destination
- 069
- Airport
- 069 · Petaluma, runway 29, 3,600 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,264 total · 43 in this make and model · 1,017 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.