Bellanca 8KCAB, N8SF: Accident occurred June 20, 2016 in Fremont Island, Weber County, Utah

http://registry.faa.gov/N8SF

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Salt Lake City FSDO-07

Aviation Accident Final Report   -   National Transportation Safety Board:   https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Docket And Docket Items  -  National Transportation Safety Board:   https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary  -  National Transportation Safety Board:   https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA341
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 20, 2016 in Freemont Island, UT
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/05/2016
Aircraft: BELLANCA 8KCAB, registration: N8SF
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The flight instructor in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was demonstrating flight maneuvers to the passenger when the oil filler cowl door unlatched in flight. The flight instructor reported that he feared for their safety, decided to land as soon as possible, and overflew a nearby island airstrip to verify wind direction and identify potential obstacles. During the precautionary landing on the 2,000 foot long by 15 foot wide airstrip, the flight instructor reported that as the airplane slowed and the tailwheel was lowered to the ground, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left, and the airplane drifted to the right side of the narrow runway. The flight instructor reported that, "it became clear that I could not keep the aircraft on the runway surface, I initiated a go-around." During the aborted landing, the right main landing gear impacted an unknown object, which slowed the airplane's momentum, and the airplane settled to the ground and slid to a stop on the fuselage. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer cables and the right aileron.

Inspection of the oil filler cowl latch was conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector assigned to this accident and he found no failure or degradation of the locking mechanism or the latch assembly. 

Meteorological conditions reported for the airstrip where the accident occurred, reported that about the time of the accident the wind was out of the north-northeast at 7 knots gusting to 9 knots. The flight instructor was landing to the southeast.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in an impact with an unknown object during aborted landing and consequent ground impact.