- Date
- May 20, 1996, 09:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Stevensville, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94ATTilbert Baby Great Lakes
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960520014389A
- Case key
- 42368
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 wind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in loss of directional control and an inadvertent ground swerve. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse wind conditions (crosswind and gusts), rough terrain, and the pilot's lack of experience in the type of aircraft.
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 the accident flight was his first flight in the homebuilt airplane. The airplane was a sport bi-wing. During the landing rollout, gusts and crosswinds prevailed. The airplane veered off the runway, and the left gear collapsed. The pilot stated that he 'over-corrected' during the landing rollout, while he attempted to keep the airplane on the runway. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was reported by the pilot. In the 'Recommendation' section of NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated: 'Become more familiar with aircraft flight and landing characteristics.'
Factual narrative
On May 20, 1996, about 0945 mountain daylight time, N94AT, a homebuilt Tilbert Baby Great Lakes airplane, operated by the owner/pilot, was substantially damaged during landing rollout in Stevensville, Montana. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot reported that the accident flight was his first flight in the homebuilt airplane. The airplane was a sport bi-wing. He stated: "After landing, on rollout, I got a wind gust from the left. The airplane weathervaned into the wind and got the left main gear off the pavement. I over-corrected to the right and when the left gear came back up on the pavement the airplane hopped a couple of times, folding the left gear and wrinkling the left wing tip." No preimpact mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot.
In the "Recommendation" section of NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (attached), the pilot stated: "Become more familiar with aircraft flight and landing characteristics."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94AT
- Reported as
- Tilbert Baby Great Lakes (BABY GREAT)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 82963BGL
- Airframe hours
- 41
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 108 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Johnson, James F.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 12, 1995 · 26 hours before
- Airport
- 32S · Stevensville, runway 30, 3,800 × 60 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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,487 total · 1 in this make and model · 1,487 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N94AT · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.