Georgetown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Georgetown, California 95634
Tuesady, January 8, 2013 12:24 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he intended to land the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a sloped asphalt runway that he had not landed at before the accident flight. The first landing attempt terminated with a go-around because he was not comfortable with the approach. The second approach was high and a little too fast, which caused the airplane to float down the runway. When the airplane touched down, it bounced; after a second bounce, the pilot applied increasingly aggressive braking for fear of overrunning the runway. The airplane veered off the hard surface runway, encountered soft mud, and subsequently nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s improper landing flare and failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/8/2013
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1224
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Georgetown
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95634
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385515N
Event Location Longitude 1205153W
Event Location Airport Georgetown Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E36
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 --
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31074
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 15 2013 4:22PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70AC
NTSB Number WPR13CA089
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STRIBLING JAMES L
Aircraft Model RV4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number JS01
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jan 6 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 284
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark Hornsby
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Jackson
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95616
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Mark Hornsby
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Jackson
Operator State LA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95616
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 --
Departure City Davis
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code E36
Destination City Georgetown
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 15 2013 4:22PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 2980
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --