Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Buhl Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Buhl, Idaho 83316
Tuesady, May 22, 2012 16:40 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During his first time operating the newly-assembled airplane, the pilot/airplane builder performed a series of high-speed taxi tests on the taxiway. The pilot stated that, after traversing the length of the taxiway several times, the airplane became airborne in the gusty wind. The pilot increased the engine power, and the airplane continued to ascend. He maneuvered near the airport for about 10 minutes and then decided to return. While on final approach to the runway, the airplane was unstable, and the pilot performed a go-around. On the second approach, with the airplane about 30 feet above ground level, the pilot lost control, and the airplane descended in a nose-low attitude into the terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. About the time of the accident, the wind was reported to be at 9 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while on final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/22/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1640 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Buhl |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83316 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 423529N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1144748W |
| Event Location Airport | Buhl Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | U03 |
| 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 | 3660 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 116 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TWF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4145 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 900 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.86 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | 15:53 METAR KTWF 222153Z AUTO 31013G21KT 10SM FEW |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30286 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 8 2012 12:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N165AW |
| NTSB Number | WPR12LA225 |
| 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 | WAGGONNER |
| Aircraft Model | EXCALIBUR |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1260 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 22 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 0 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert Lowder |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kimberly |
| Aircraft Owner State | ID |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 83341 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Robert Lowder |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Kimberly |
| Operator State | ID |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 83341 |
| 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 | U03 |
| Departure City | Buhl |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | U03 |
| Destination City | Buhl |
| Destination State | ID |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 8 2012 12:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 27 |
| Runway Length | 3900 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |