# NTSB WPR20CA142: N126c CCX-2000, N363EX, Heber City, UT, May 8, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 8, 2020, 10:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Heber City, UT - Coordinates: 40.486667, -111.421943 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4867&lon=-111.4219&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 101260 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR20CA142 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101260/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101260 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20CA142 ## Probable cause The front seat pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, and the rear seat pilot's delayed remedial control inputs that subsequently resulted in a ground loop. Contributing to the accident was a lack of communication by both pilot's to establish clearly defined pilot-in-command roles prior to the accident flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [N126c CCX-2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05636WT), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [N126c CCX-2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05636WT), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Communication (personnel): lack of communication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [N126c CCX-2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510/cases.md?model=05636WT), [All aircraft, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510/cases.md) - [Communication (personnel): lack of communication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510): Personnel issues › Task performance · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [N126c CCX-2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510/cases.md?model=05636WT), [All aircraft, 84 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063510/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: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [N126c CCX-2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05636WT), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The accident flight was a sales demonstration conducted by the rear seat pilot, an employee of the airplane manufacturer, for the front seat pilot. At the time, the rear seat pilot held a private pilot certificate and had accumulated 1,000 total flight hours in the accident airplane make and model. The front seat pilot held a commercial pilot certificate, but his most recent flight review had expired at the time of the accident flight. He reported that he had no experience in the airplane make and model. The rear seat pilot reported that during their final landing attempt with the front seat pilot on the controls, the airplane touched down normally and started to veer to the left. The front seat pilot corrected to the right and the rear seat pilot then attempted to recover the airplane with left rudder and right aileron, but the airplane ground looped to the right. According to the front seat pilot, the rear seat pilot interfered with the rudder controls during the rollout, which impeded his attempts to maintain directional control after the airplane veered to the right. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the rear seat pilot, at the time of the accident, the company did not have a formal policy to learn a prospective buyer's qualifications prior to a sales flight. Instead, they required a conversation with the prospective buyer about their recent flight history based on "trust and judgment." He further remarked that for the accident flight there could have been better communication, as he did not formally ascertain the front seat occupant's level of proficiency and experience. The rear seat pilot further stated that both occupants were wearing face masks, which interfered with their communication. The front seat pilot reported that they never discussed his flight experience, qualifications, or proficiency in the airplane prior to the accident flight. He was also never advised that he would assume the role of pilot-in-command. Neither pilot reported that there were any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The accident flight was a sales demonstration conducted by the rear seat pilot, an employee of the airplane manufacturer, for the front seat pilot. At the time, the rear seat pilot held a private pilot certificate and had accumulated 1,000 total flight hours in the accident airplane make and model. The front seat pilot held a commercial pilot certificate, but his most recent flight review had expired at the time of the accident flight. He reported that he had no experience in the airplane make and model. The rear seat pilot reported that during their final landing attempt with the front seat pilot on the controls, the airplane touched down normally and started to veer to the left. The front seat pilot corrected to the right and the rear seat pilot then attempted to recover the airplane with left rudder and right aileron, but the airplane ground looped to the right. According to the front seat pilot, the rear seat pilot interfered with the rudder controls during the rollout, which impeded his attempts to maintain directional control after the airplane veered to the right. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the rear seat pilot, at the time of the accident, the company did not have a formal policy to learn a prospective buyer's qualifications prior to a sales flight. Instead, they required a conversation with the prospective buyer about their recent flight history based on "trust and judgment." He further remarked that for the accident flight there could have been better communication, as he did not formally ascertain the front seat occupant's level of proficiency and experience. The rear seat pilot further stated that both occupants were wearing face masks, which interfered with their communication. The front seat pilot reported that they never discussed his flight experience, qualifications, or proficiency in the airplane prior to the accident flight. He was also never advised that he would assume the role of pilot-in-command. Neither pilot reported that there were any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N363EX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N363EX), registered now, S/N CCX-2000-0001, built 2017 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: N126C LLC CCX-2000 - Registry model: [N126c CCX-2000](https://openairdocs.org/model/n126c-ccx-2000) (registry code 05636WT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CCX-2000-0001 - Year built: 2017 - Airframe hours: 593.7 - Engines: Lycoming YIO-360-EXP12 186 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Cubcrafters, Inc. - Registered owner: N126c LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 16, 2019, 35 hours before - Departed: HCR, Heber, UT - Destination: HCR, Heber City, UT - Airport: HCR, Heber Valley, runway 22, 6,898 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 22, 2019; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,750 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 4,680 as pilot in command, 125 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Pilot-rated passenger; age 44; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 15, 2016; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,420 total, 0 in this make and model, 716 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg ## 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 20200508005019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200508005019A), May 8, 2020: N126c LLC CCX-2000, Heber City, UT, Substantial damage. During landing the prosective buyer of the airplane was flying the aircraft and lost control on touchdown. The PIC tried to take control of the aircraft to… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 10, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101260. 5.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486823&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 94 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486824&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Record of Conversations (item 3, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486825&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversations-Master.PDF - Accident Photograph (item 4, .PDF, 227 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486826&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photograph-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.