Fallon Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fallon, Nevada 89406
Monday, March 24, 2014 14:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that during the third landing of the day in the tailwheel equipped airplane, the wind switched to a quartering tailwind. After touchdown the airplane began to veer to the right. Despite pilot control inputs, the airplane continued to the right and departed the runway surface onto the dirt. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted; its left wing and rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/24/2014
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Fallon
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89406
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 392958N
Event Location Longitude 1184456W
Event Location Airport Fallon Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FLX
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 3966
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID NFL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3934
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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) 32776
NTSB Notification Source FAA WP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2014 12:19PM
User who most recently changed record lins-i
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N817DC
NTSB Number WPR14CA145
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 7DC
Aircraft Series Identifier NO SERIES
Aircraft Serial Number 7DC81
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 26 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3055
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREY JOSEPH G
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City FALLON
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89406
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name SHANE SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SPARKS
Operator State NV
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 89431
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code FLX
Departure City Fallon
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FLX
Destination City Fallon
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 2 2014 3:44PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 5703
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --