# NTSB WPR26LA003: Willey Frank C Jr. Avid Mark 4, N90331, Boulder City, NV, October 4, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 4, 2025, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place: Boulder City, NV
- Coordinates: 35.947308, -114.86108 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9473&lon=-114.8611&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: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 4, 2025
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201793
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA003
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201793/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201793
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA003

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Willey Frank C JR AVID FLYER MK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05617RS), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Willey Frank C JR AVID FLYER MK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05617RS), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: [Willey Frank C JR AVID FLYER MK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05617RS), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Willey Frank C JR AVID FLYER MK IV, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05617RS), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that while landing, he encountered a gust of wind and the airplane weathervaned violently. He attempted to correct the movement with the use of brake, but the airplane veered off the runway about 150 feet into sand and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N90331](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N90331), registered now, S/N 1287D, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Willey Frank C Jr. Avid Mark 4 (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Willey Frank C JR AVID FLYER MK IV](https://openairdocs.org/model/willey-frank-c-jr-avid-flyer-mk-iv) (registry code 05617RS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Subaru ALL MDLS A/B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (registry code 59050, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 1287D
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 2.5
- Engines: Stratus/Subaru EA 81 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, September 27, 2025, 1 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: BVU, Boulder City Municipal, runway 27, 5,103 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; last flight review July 29, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 870 total, 2 in this make and model, 712 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observed at: BVU
- METAR: METAR KBVU 041515Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 17/03 A2988 RMK AO2

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201793. 1.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19431635&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR26LA003%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 159 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19448942&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photographs-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.

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