Whitefish Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Whitefish, Montana 59937
Tuesady, July 5, 2011 14:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was on a personal flight in a tailwheel equipped airplane that he was planning on purchasing. Having not flown an airplane with a tailwheel in approximately 10 years, the pilot flew several low approaches over the grass runway. The pilot stated that during his fifth approach he still did not feel comfortable controlling the airplane, but was slow and close to the ground so he chose to attempt the landing. On landing, the airplane began to slide to the left at which point the pilot stated that he lost control of the airplane. Still in a slide, the airplane departed the runway, struck a barbed wire fence and nosed over. The rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience in a tailwheel equipped airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/5/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Whitefish
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59937
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 482417N
Event Location Longitude 1141801W
Event Location Airport Whitefish
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 58S
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 3066
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 200
Weather Observation Facility ID KGPI
Elevation of weather observation facility 3066
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
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) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 103
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report SA 05/07/2011 19:55-> METAR KGPI 051955Z 12004KT 1
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) 28776
NTSB Notification Source Helena FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 27 2011 12:19PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40WP
NTSB Number WPR11CA310
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 Cubcrafters, Inc
Aircraft Model CC11-160
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CC11-00140
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 29 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 19
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Alocin Ventures LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Las Cruces
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88011
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Alocin Ventures LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Las Cruces
Operator State NM
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 88011
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 KGPI
Departure City Kalispell
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 58S
Destination City Whitefish
Destination State MT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2011 6:09PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 2560
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --