- Date
- August 31, 2013, 15:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Sequim, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N789MHHenderson Michael E Glastar
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130831015969A
- Case key
- 87931
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 improper soft field landing technique, and failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing.
Findings · 4
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 landed the experimental nose wheel-equipped airplane 500 feet beyond the landing threshold of the grass runway, having performed a full-flap, power-off approach. The runway was traversed by two asphalt taxiways, and during the ground roll, he observed a depression in the turf just before the first taxiway intersection. He then applied back pressure to the elevator control; however, the nose wheel dug into the depression, and the airplane nosed over. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The runway was normally 3,500 foot long, but at the time of the accident, the second half was closed. This was reflected in a NOTAM (notice to airmen), and the pilot was unaware of the closure. According to the airport manager, the depression was a drainage ditch, and was located to the left of runway, adjacent to the parallel asphalt runway. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot landed the experimental nose wheel-equipped airplane 500 feet beyond the landing threshold of the grass runway, having performed a full-flap, power-off approach. The runway was traversed by two asphalt taxiways, and during the ground roll, he observed a depression in the turf just before the first taxiway intersection. He then applied back pressure to the elevator control; however, the nose wheel dug into the depression, and the airplane nosed over. The fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The runway was normally 3,500 foot long, but at the time of the accident, the second half was closed. This was reflected in a NOTAM (notice to airmen), and the pilot was unaware of the closure. According to the airport manager, the depression was a drainage ditch, and was located to the left of runway, adjacent to the parallel asphalt runway. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N789MH
- Reported as
- Henderson Michael E Glastar
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5650
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 482
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 3, 2013 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- KPAE · Everett, WA
- Destination
- W28 · Sequim, WA
- Airport
- W28 · Sequim Valley Airport, runway 27R, 3,500 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 2, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,270 total · 307 in this make and model · 1,219 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KCLM, 12 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 883 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.