Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mullen, Nebraska 69152
Tuesady, September 10, 2013 6:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot landed the airplane at a private airstrip where the airplane contacted gopher mounds and soft ground. The nose landing gear collapsed, the airplane nosed over, and it sustained substantial empennage damage. The pilot said that there were no airplane mechanical malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The gopher holes and soft terrain the airplane encountered, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/2013
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 600
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Mullen
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 69152
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 420231N
Event Location Longitude 1010332W
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3200
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2355 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 102
Weather Observation Facility ID KTIF
Elevation of weather observation facility 2926
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report KTIF 102355Z AUTO 36008KT 10SM CLR 24/16 A3010 RMK
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) 32293
NTSB Notification Source FAA-ANW-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2013 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record male
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N611WE
NTSB Number CEN13CA545
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 SWEDENER
Aircraft Model RANS S-6ES
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 08051684
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 18 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 412
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name SWENDENER
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BURWELL
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68823-0178
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SWENDENER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City BURWELL
Operator State NE
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 68823-0178
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 BUB
Departure City BURWELL
Departure State NE
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Mullen
Destination State NE
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2013 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record male
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --