Vernal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vernal, Utah 84078
Sunday, July 6, 2003 10:10 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing on runway 34. The tail wheel touched down first and the airplane bounced on its main landing gear. The pilot "overcorrected first right, then left," and the airplane skidded "with the left wing down" and went off the left side of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed the top left wing skin was wrinkled and several ribs were damaged. The AWOS observation indicated the wind was calm.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control during landing that resulted in an inadvertent ground loop/swerve.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Vernal
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84078
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402646N
Event Location Longitude 1093001W
Event Location Airport Vernal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VEL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5278
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID VEL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5278
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) 7599
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14585
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1110
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 30 2003 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Salt Lake City, UT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N121N
NTSB Number DEN03LA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Stinson
Aircraft Model 108-3
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 108-4449
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 14 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 2798
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Paul J. Foster
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Monte Vista
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81144
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 3V5
Departure City Fort Collins
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code VEL
Destination City Vernal
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 30 2003 3:17PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 6200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --