- Date
- August 28, 2023, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Leavenworth, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N869BBHenry Steven J JA 30 Superstol
- Defining event
- Taxi: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230828013059A
- Case key
- 192955
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 airplane control during taxi, which resulted in a nose over.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while taxiing for takeoff on a gravel bar, he encountered a slope. To prevent potential loss of control, he applied brake pressure to both wheels, causing the airplane to nose over, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N869BB
- Reported as
- Henry Steven J JA 30 Superstol
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JA366-04-14
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 479
- Engine
- Rotax 915IS, 141 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · June 25, 2023 · 105 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 27W · Lake Wenatchee State
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 7, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 286 total · 230 in this make and model · 230 as pilot in command · 84 in the last 90 days · 84 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KEAT, 32 nm away
- METAR
- KEAT 281755Z AUTO 26004KT 10SM CLR 26/11 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP164 T02610106 10261 20194 58004
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 7, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.