Stovepipe Wells Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Death Valley, California 92328
Thursday, November 29, 2007 8:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that during the landing on runway 5, the touchdown was hard and the airplane bounced and started to "porpoise". Subsequently the nosewheel landing gear failed aft, and the airplane nosed down and slid to a stop. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident. Examination of the airplane by salvage personnel revealed that the engine mount and firewall were bent.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/29/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Death Valley
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92328
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 363614N
Event Location Longitude 1170933W
Event Location Airport Stovepipe Wells Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID L09
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 25
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID NID
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22955
NTSB Notification Source NW FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8770M
NTSB Number SEA08CA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A23
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M-555
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Claire L. Koch
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sparks
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 RNO
Departure City Reno
Departure State NE
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code L09
Destination City Death Valley Nt
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 31 2007 11:49AM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 3260
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --