- Date
- June 17, 2013, 12:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N91GBGary W Bettis Harmon Rocket II
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130617009639A
- Case key
- 87222
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 with a crosswind.
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 pilot reported that he contacted UNICOM as he approached the airport and was told that the gusting wind of 10 to 15 knots favored the southern runway. The first attempt to land resulted in a go-around due to an erratic and gusting right crosswind. During touchdown on the second attempt, the crosswind turned the airplane to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder, and was able to return the airplane to runway centerline. However, during the rollout, the airplane was again struck by the crosswind, and departed the runway surface and ground looped. The fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he contacted UNICOM as he approached the airport and was told that the gusting wind of 10 to 15 knots favored the southern runway. The first attempt to land resulted in a go-around due to an erratic and gusting right crosswind. During touchdown on the second attempt, the crosswind turned the airplane to the right. The pilot applied full left rudder, and was able to return the airplane to runway centerline. However, during the rollout, the airplane was again struck by the crosswind, and departed the runway surface and ground looped. The fuselage and left wing were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91GB
- Reported as
- Gary W Bettis Harmon Rocket II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 064
- Airframe hours
- 110
- Engine
- Lycoming IO540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 22, 2013
- Departed
- L45 · Bakersfield, CA
- Destination
- TVL · South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Airport
- TVL · Lake Tahoe, runway 18, 8,541 × 100 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 19, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 270 total · 90 in this make and model · 270 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- TVL
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 716 KB 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.