# NTSB LAX98LA313: Grumman HU-16C, N7025J, Sedona, AZ, September 26, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 26, 1998, 09:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Sedona, AZ - Coordinates: 34.939632, -111.939987 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9396&lon=-111.9400&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 21, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 44134 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA313 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/44134/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=44134 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA313 ## Probable cause The pilot in command's selection of the wrong runway for the prevailing wind conditions, and the second pilot's inadequate compensation for the winds. Factors in the accident were the second pilot's lack of experience in the aircraft and the pilot-in-command's inadequate supervision of the flight. Additional factors were the variable and gusty, cross wind and tail wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - weather condition - variable wind (contributing factor) - wrong runway - selected, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, copilot/second pilot (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, copilot/second pilot (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft - Nose gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload ## Analysis The private pilot/owner seated in the right seat was type rated in the airplane. The second pilot in the left seat manipulating the flight controls, held an ATP and flight instructor certificates, but was not type rated in the airplane. The second pilot had a total of 1.9 hours in the airplane. Both pilots stated that they selected runway 3 for landing based on weather reports and that other airplanes were using that runway. During landing rollout, propeller reverse power was selected and the left engine came in before the right engine, which caused the airplane to veer left, and braking was used to correct the heading. The propellers were brought out of reverse and the airplane continued to exit the left side of the runway and collapsed the nose gear. The manager of the FBO said they were advising runway 21 as the active runway. The pilot of another airplane said that he had just landed on runway 21 and that there were two other airplanes in the traffic pattern for runway 21 when the accident airplane landed on runway 3. He stated that winds were 130 degrees at 14 knots and the conditions in the pattern were turbulent. The pilot noted that after he landed the wind kept shifting direction from a southeasterly to northeasterly heading. No mechanical anomalies were found during an examination of the propeller reverse system or the braking system. ## Factual narrative On September 26, 1998, at 0945 hours mountain standard time, a Grumman HU-16C, N7025J, veered off runway 3 on the landing rollout at the Sedona, Arizona, airport. The airplane, operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot/owner, two flight crewmembers, and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from the Flagstaff, Arizona airport. Sedona Automated Weather Observation System reported the winds from 180 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 14 knots. The aircraft owner holds a private pilot certificate with a type rating in the Grumman HU-16C, and was in the right seat. The second pilot, who was in the left seat and manipulating the flight controls, holds airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates, but is not type rated in the aircraft. The second pilot has a total of 1.9 hours in the aircraft. The owner stated that as they approached Sedona, reported winds were from 180 degrees at 10 to 15 knots; however, other airplanes were reporting using runway 3 for landings. He stated that they entered downwind midfield for runway 3. There were no discrepancies noted with the approach or touchdown, and the initial rollout was "normal." The owner reported that when the second pilot selected propeller reverse power, the left engine came in before the right engine and caused a slight deviation to the left. He stated that braking was used to correct the heading. After the initial correction the right brake locked. The owner stated that the propellers were brought out of reverse and the aircraft continued to exit the left side of the runway. He noted that the right tire failed "sometime" during the rollout. The second pilot, who was at the controls of the airplane during the landing sequence, reported that weather information was obtained via UNICOM. He stated that the winds were from the southeast and the weather was clear with unrestricted visibility. He further noted that other airplanes were landing on runway 3. The pilot reported that on the landing rollout he selected propeller reverse power, and the power came in "asymmetrically causing a left tracking moment." He advanced the throttles to idle and attempted to return to centerline. He stated that after the right tire failed, the airplane continued to cross a taxiway. He reported that the nose trunnion failed and the nose, left float and left wing contacted the ground. The manager for Red Rock Aviation, a Fixed Based Operator (FBO) at the airport, reported that UNICOM was advising runway 21 as the active runway, and that the winds were from 180 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 14 knots. The pilot of another airplane, who witnessed the accident, reported that he had just landed on runway 21 and that there were two other airplanes in the traffic pattern for runway 21. He stated that winds were reported at 130 degrees at 14 knots and the conditions in the pattern were turbulent. The pilot noted that after he landed the wind kept shifting direction from a southeasterly to northeasterly heading. Another ground witness stated that the airplane's wings were rocking back and fourth before touchdown and it appeared to him that the left wing tip contacted the ground before the aircraft veered off the runway. The airplane was inspected by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector on-scene. He reported that there was a skid mark on the left side of the runway. The FAA inspector stated that there were no mechanical anomalies found during an examination of the propeller reverse or the braking systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7025J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7025J), registered now, S/N 131910 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman HU-16C - Registry model: [Grumman HU-16](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-hu-16) (registry code 3950405) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Wright R-1820 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-r-1820-series) (registry code 67020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 131910 - Airframe hours: 4119 - Engines: Curtis Wright R-1820-76 1425 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stephen L. Ritland - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 1998, 43 hours before - Departed: FLG, FLAGSTAFF, AZ - Destination: SEZ - Airport: SEZ, Sedona, runway 3, 5,132 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 4,500 total, 360 in this make and model, 4,500 as pilot in command, 65 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 9 knots, gusting 14 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Observed at: SEZ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980926039189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980926039189A), Sep 26, 1998: Gruman HU16, Sedona, AZ, Substantial damage. (.19)On September 26, 1998, at 0945 hours mountain standard time, a Grumman HU-16, N7025J, veered off runway 3 on the landing rollout at the Sedona, Arizona,… ## Docket (9 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 20, 2000, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=44134. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 - S. Ritland (item 1, .PDF, 348 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405100&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2%20-%20S.%20Ritland-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 - G. Pochapsky (item 2, .PDF, 344 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2%20-%20G.%20Pochapsky-Redacted.PDF - Supplement E (item 3, .PDF, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405097&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E-Redacted.PDF - Supplement S (item 4, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40117206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Witness Statements (item 5, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405104&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - FAA Accident/Incident Report (item 6, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405105&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Accident%2FIncident%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Report from Sedona Airport Manager (item 7, .PDF, 80 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405107&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20Sedona%20Airport%20Manager-Redacted.PDF - Restricted Category - Operating Limitations (item 8, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405108&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Restricted%20Category%20-%20Operating%20Limitations-Redacted.PDF - Record of Telephone Conversation (item 9, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40117213&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.