- Date
- May 1, 2013, 18:32 local (May 2, 2013, 01:32 UTC)
- Place
- Bellingham, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N88XCAdolphson CCK-1865
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA SEA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130501005929A
- Case key
- 86841
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Findings · 3
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 flight instructor and the private pilot were performing practice takeoff and landings in the amateur-built experimental airplane so the pilot could provide an assessment of the airplane's handling qualities. The flight instructor reported that the pilot made a normal approach with full flaps and that the pilot made a "good landing with a normal touchdown." The pilot then commented that "it's skittish alright," and the airplane began to enter a ground loop. The flight instructor took over the controls, but the airplane exited the runway, continued through at least a portion of the ground loop, and dragged the right wingtip on the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to some right wing ribs and the right aileron. The flight instructor reported that the tower air traffic controller stated that the wind was "light and variable at 4 knots" about that time. The pilot reported that this was his first flight in the accident airplane make and model. Neither the flight instructor nor the pilot reported any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor and the private pilot were performing practice takeoff and landings in the amateur-built experimental airplane, in order to have the pilot provide an assessment of the airplane's handling qualities. The flight instructor reported that he had the pilot make a normal approach with full flaps, and the pilot made a "good landing with a normal touchdown." The pilot then commented that "It's skittish alright," and the airplane began to enter a ground loop. The flight instructor took over the controls, but the airplane exited the runway, continued through at least a portion of the ground loop, and dragged the right wingtip on the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to some right wing ribs and the right aileron. The flight instructor reported that the air traffic control tower stated that the wind was "light and variable at 4 knots" about that time. The pilot reported that this was his first flight in the accident airplane make and model. Neither the flight instructor nor the pilot reported a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88XC
- Reported as
- Adolphson CCK-1865
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- CCK-1865-0008
- Airframe hours
- 1,320
- Engine
- Adolphson unk, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Wheels Skis &Floats LLC
- Registered owner
- Wheels Skis &Floats LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 6, 2012
- Departed
- BLI · Bellingham, WA
- Destination
- BLI · Bellingham, WA
- Airport
- BLI · Bellingham International, runway 16, 6,700 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 9, 2012
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 34,000 total · 15 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 24, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 290 total · 0 in this make and model · 182 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.54 inHg
- Observed at
- BLI
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 14, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.