Nut Tree Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vacaville, California 95687
Saturday, January 19, 2008 13:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off with the intent of flying around the traffic pattern. The pilot's first two attempted landings terminated in go-arounds after the airplane experienced a series of bounces on the runway. On the third attempted landing, the pilot lost directional control. The airplane swerved off the runway and went into a ditch. The pilot's experience flying tailwheel airplanes was 3 hours and he had not received a flight instructor's endorsement to act as pilot-in-command of tailwheel equipped airplanes. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and a lack of experience in conventional gear airplanes.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/19/2008
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Vacaville
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95687
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 382240N
Event Location Longitude 1215742W
Event Location Airport Nut Tree
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VCB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 117
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
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 --
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23114
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jan 19 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2008 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Sacramento, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N248DW
NTSB Number LAX08CA048
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Waltermire
Aircraft Model Glastar
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5571
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard D. Waltermire
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Thomas R. C. Smith
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Suisun City
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VCB
Departure City Vacaville
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code VCB
Destination City Vacaville
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2008 12:11PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --