- Date
- September 2, 2012, 13:01 local (20:01 UTC)
- Place
- Sequim, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N347JPPiggott John H Bearhawk
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120902021389A
- Case key
- 84888
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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control on landing.
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 student pilot, who was also the builder and owner of the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped high-wing airplane, took off from his home airport, made one landing there, and then took off again to conduct some cruise performance evaluations. He then conducted one landing and takeoff at a second airport, and then practiced several takeoffs and landings at a third airport. After that, he returned for landing on runway 27 at his home airport. The pilot reported that the approach was normal, but the air was “a bit bumpy.” The pilot said that during the flare, the airplane got a "little sideways," and the left wingtip contacted the runway. Despite the pilot's efforts to correct the situation, the airplane veered to the right and nosed over onto its back on the grass beside the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the propeller, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions of the airplane which would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The student pilot, who is also the builder and owner of the experimental amateur-built tailwheel-equipped high wing airplane, took off from his home airport, made one landing there, and then took off again to conduct some cruise performance evaluations. He then conducted one landing and takeoff at a second airport, and then practiced several takeoffs and landings at a third airport. After that, he returned for landing on runway 27 at his home airport. That runway measured 3,510 feet long by 40 feet wide. The pilot reported that the approach was normal, but the air was somewhat bumpy. The pilot said that in the flare, the airplane got a "little sideways," and the left wingtip contacted the runway. Despite the pilot's efforts to correct the situation, the airplane veered to the right, and nosed over onto its back on the grass beside the runway. The pilot was uninjured, but the airplane sustained damage to its propeller, vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions of the airplane. The automated weather observation at an airport about 13 miles west of the accident airport included winds from 320 degrees at 7 knots, and an unofficial weather station in the same town as the accident airport reported similar values. The pilot reported a total flight experience of about 42 hours, including about 32 hours in the accident airplane make and model.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N347JP
- Reported as
- Piggott John H Bearhawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 347
- Airframe hours
- 78
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540 SERIES, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 17, 2011
- Departed
- CLM · Port Angeles, WA
- Destination
- W28 · Sequim, WA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- W28 · Sequim Valley Airport, runway 27L, 3,510 × 40 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
- 55
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 42 total · 32 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KCLM, 13 nm away
Docket · 8
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.
Other investigations on N347JP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.