Augusta Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Augusta, Kansas 67010
Saturday, September 26, 2009 11:20 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The private pilot was conducting an orientation flight for one passenger. During landing with a quartering right tailwind the airplane's tail swerved left on touchdown. The pilot attempted to correct the situation with right rudder and additional power. The airplane continued to the left, departed the runway, and spun around. The left gear was broken off the airplane and the left longeron and left horizontal stabilizer were bent. The pilot stated that there were no prior mechanical issues with the airplane that would have caused the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a quartering tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/26/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1120
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Augusta
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67010
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374010N
Event Location Longitude 0970424W
Event Location Airport Augusta Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3AU
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26142
NTSB Notification Source SW Regional Operations Center,
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 2 2009 9:49AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9204E
NTSB Number CEN09CA609
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 11AC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 11AC-838
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 Oct 4 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1528
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BLECHA DONALD H
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8946 N SENECA ST
Aircraft Owner City VALLEY CENTER
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67147-8541
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name BLECHA DONALD H
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 8946 N SENECA ST
Operator City VALLEY CENTER
Operator State KS
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 67147-8541
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 3AU
Departure City Augusta
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 3AU
Destination City Augusta
Destination State KS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 1 2009 9:44AM
User who most recently changed record bakd
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --