Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99503
Saturday, July 18, 2009 17:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial pilot reported he was practicing touch-and-go landings in his homebuilt, tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off airport site, which required a correction for a variable left crosswind. The airplane was operated under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot said that during touchdown on the mud-covered site, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right, and it subsequently ground-looped to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and noted in his report to the NTSB that the accident could have been avoided if he had been proficient in crosswind landings at off airport sites.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a ground-loop and substantial damage to the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone --
Event City Anchorage
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99503
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 611546N
Event Location Longitude 1502214W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1600 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 137
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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 Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 26183
NTSB Notification Source ANC ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2009 11:27AM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N425BC
NTSB Number ANC09CA070
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DRESSEN DONALD L
Aircraft Model BACK COUNT
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0001
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 700
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Raymond E. Hout
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Anchorage
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99507
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Raymond E. Hout
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Anchorage
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99507
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 MRI
Departure City Anchorage
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MRI
Destination City Anchorage
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2009 11:27AM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --