# NTSB WPR21LA196: American Champion 8GCBC, N101BC, Wallowa, OR, May 15, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 15, 2021, 08:50 local (14:50 UTC) - Place: Wallowa, OR - Coordinates: 45.44692, -116.5859 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.4469&lon=-116.5859&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 103098 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA196 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103098/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103098 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA196 ## Probable cause The pilots failure to maintain airplane control during the landing roll after experiencing a tailwind gust which required excessive braking and resulted in the airplane nosing over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: surface speed/braking](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [American Champion 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md?model=2121004), [All aircraft, 238 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American Champion 8GCBC, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2121004), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation; cases with it: [American Champion 8GCBC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2121004), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/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: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [American Champion 8GCBC, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2121004), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [American Champion 8GCBC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2121004), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a strong tailwind gust, which caused the airplane to roll at a faster than normal speed. Due to obstacles at the end of the runway, the pilot applied harder brake pressure. The nose dipped down, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N101BC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N101BC), registered now, S/N 511-2008, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 8GCBC - Registry model: [American Champion 8GCBC](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-8gcbc) (registry code 2121004) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-C1G](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c1g) (registry code 42284, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 511-2008 - Year built: 2008 - Airframe hours: 1012 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-C1G 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 15, 2020 - Departed: Wallowa County, OR - Airport: N/A, Sluice Airstrip - Equipment: Satellite tracking device, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 79; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 29, 2019; seat: front; flight hours: 4,078 total, 983 in this make and model, 4,078 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: MYL ## 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 20210515009519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210515009519A), May 15, 2021: American Champion Aircraft 8GCBC, Riggins, ID, Substantial damage. The pilot stated he was a little too fast on a 1,000? Dirt runway which has a commitment to land due to the typography. After landing he hit the brakes too… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 21, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103098. 3.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12609650&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120-1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident pictures (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12610281&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR21LA196%20Accident%20Pictures%20Final%201-Rel.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.