- Date
- July 27, 1992, 18:30 local (Jul 28, 1992, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wells, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7715Chapuis Spezio Sport
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920727027629A
- Case key
- 27704
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 inadequate compensation for the existing wind conditions and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft. A factor in the accident was the variable and gusty nature of the wind conditions at the airport.
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 said he contacted UNICOM for weather and runway advisories and was informed that the winds were variable at about 12 knots, favoring runway 26. The pilot noted that below 400 feet AGL the air was very turbulent and gusty. The pilot stated that his first landing attempt was unsuccessful, with the aircraft difficult to control due to the wind conditions. The pilot initiated a go around and found that similar wind conditions existed on the second approach. During the second landing the aircraft bounced on touchdown and the pilot said 'the right wing came up and I was no longer able to maintain directional control.' The aircraft veered off the runway to the left and ground looped.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7715
- Reported as
- Chapuis Spezio Sport (SPEZIO SPO)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 181
- Airframe hours
- 164
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-G4, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George H. Collins
- Registered owner
- George H. Collins
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 5, 1992 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- EKO · Elko, NV
- Airport
- LWL · Hariet Field, runway 26, 5,500 × 150 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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 195 total · 55 in this make and model · 158 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.