Hutchinson Municipal -B Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hutchinson, Minnesota 55350
Thursday, May 31, 2012 15:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing the airplane with excessive speed. The airplane touched down 2,200 feet down the 4,000-foot-long runway. When the tailwheel touched down, the airplane began to veer off of the runway. The pilot stated that the tailwheel became "squirrelly." The pilot added engine power while attempting to return to the runway surface. He then pitched the airplane's nose up to avoid an airport lighting aid at a speed that was too low to maintain flight. The airplane settled back to the ground and impacted the terrain. Postaccident examination of the tailwheel and flight controls revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed during the landing attempt, his failure to maintain directional control, and his delayed attempted aborted landing at an airspeed that was too low, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Hutchinson
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55350
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 445300N
Event Location Longitude 0942400W
Event Location Airport Hutchinson Municipal Airport-B
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HCD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.3
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1062
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1551 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HCD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1062
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31458
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 12 2013 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N808WW
NTSB Number CEN12LA333
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 Walters
Aircraft Model RV-8
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 81149
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Dec 28 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 274
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pilot
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Covington
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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 SPF
Departure City Spearfish
Departure State SD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code HCD
Destination City Hutchinson
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 8 2013 5:23PM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --