# NTSB WPR12CA398: Lake John K MA-5 Charger, N795MC, Eagle Mountain, UT, September 5, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 5, 2012, 11:25 local (17:25 UTC) - Place: Eagle Mountain, UT - Coordinates: 40.336944, -111.9925 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3369&lon=-111.9925&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 5, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 84941 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12CA398 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84941/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84941 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA398 ## Probable cause The airplane’s encounter with a large hole in the runway during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Lake John K MA-5 CHARGER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=056313M), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Lake John K MA-5 CHARGER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=056313M), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Lake John K MA-5 CHARGER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=056313M), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Lake John K MA-5 CHARGER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056313M), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis During a landing on a private dirt strip, the right main landing gear struck a large, hidden gopher hole, and the airplane veered to the right. Before the pilot could correct the excursion, the right wing struck sage brush along the edge of the runway, impacted a berm, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and to the left upper wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation. ## Factual narrative During landing on a private dirt strip, the right main landing gear broke through a large gopher hole, the airplane veered to the right, and before the pilot could correct the excursion, the right wing struck a sage brush along the edge of the runway. The airplane continued off to the right of the runway and impacted a soft berm and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and to the left upper wing. The pilot reported no abnormalities with the aircraft prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N795MC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N795MC), registered now, S/N 356, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Lake John K MA-5 Charger - Registry model: [Lake John K MA-5 CHARGER](https://openairdocs.org/model/lake-john-k-ma-5-charger) (registry code 056313M) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-E2D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e2d) (registry code 42123, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 356 - Airframe hours: 12 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: John K Lake - Registered owner: John K Lake - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 27, 2012, 12 hours before - Departed: 36U, Heber City, UT - Destination: UT41, Eagle Mountain, UT - Airport: UT41, Glenmar Ranch Airport, runway 15, 2,600 × 60 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 1, 2012; seat: rear; flight hours: 13,000 total, 12 in this make and model, 9,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: PVU, 15 nm away ## 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 20120905019389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120905019389A), Sep 5, 2012: Lake John K MA-5 CHARGER, Eagle Mountain, UT, Substantial damage. Pilot landed on a narrow, dirt, private airstrip at a ranch. On the landing rollout, at approximately 20 mph, the lower wing of the biplane struck some… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84941. 2.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 793 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378169&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - PHOTO 1 - Damage to the Left Wing (item 2, .PDF, 847 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=PHOTO%201%20-%20Damage%20to%20the%20Left%20Wing-Master.PDF - PHOTO 2 - Damage to the Rudder (item 3, .PDF, 562 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40378173&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=PHOTO%202%20-%20Damage%20to%20the%20Rudder-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.