Nose Over: American Champion 8GCBC Scout, N632K; accident occurred October 12, 2019 near Henry's Lake Airport (U53), Island Park, Fremont County, Idaho

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah

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

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N632K

Location: Henrys Lake, ID

Accident Number: GAA20CA011

Date & Time: 10/12/2019, 1418 MDT

Registration: N632K

Aircraft: Champion 8GCBC

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Nose over/nose down

Injuries: 2 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal

Analysis

The pilot reported that, during landing on an off-airport field, he conducted a three-point attitude, soft-field landing. The landing surface was softer than originally expected, so he attempted to recover by adding power. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings

  

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The pilot's decision to land on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a nose-over.

Findings

Personnel issues

Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Cause)

Environmental issues

Soft surface - Effect on operation (Cause)

Soft surface - Decision related to condition (Cause)

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing

Nose over/nose down (Defining event) 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private

Age: 20, Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land

Seat Occupied: Front

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None

Restraint Used:

Instrument Rating(s): None

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): None

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations

Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/12/2017

Occupational Pilot: No

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/20/2018

Flight Time:  (Estimated) 264.8 hours (Total, all aircraft), 264.8 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 16 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 4.3 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft) 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Champion

Registration: N632K

Model/Series: 8GCBC No Series

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture:2001 

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal

Serial Number: 433-2001

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel

Seats: 2

Date/Type of Last Inspection: 06/01/2019, Annual

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2150 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection:

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 852.1 Hours at time of accident

Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming

ELT: Installed, activated, aided in locating accident

Engine Model/Series: O-360-C1G

Registered Owner: Ralph R Pocock Farms Inc

Rated Power: 180 hp

Operator: Ralph R Pocock Farms Inc

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None 

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: KWYS, 6649 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 13 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 2010 UTC

Direction from Accident Site: 87°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Visibility:  10 Miles

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None

Wind Direction:

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A

Altimeter Setting: 30.1 inches Hg

Temperature/Dew Point: 3°C / -8°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Rexburg, ID (RXE)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Rexburg, ID (RXE)

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 1315 MDT

Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries:1 None 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 2 None

Latitude, Longitude: 44.673611, -111.424444 (est)

HENRYS LAKE – A plane crash in Island Park is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration. 

Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries tells EastIdahoNews.com a single-engine plane crashed on a landing strip off state highway 87 near Henrys’ Lake Saturday afternoon.

The call came in around 2:15.

The plane flipped over after it landed. Humphries did not know the type of airplane or what caused the crash, but the pilot walked away without any injuries. His name has not been released. He is from Sugar City.

A witness who saw the crash wrote on Facebook,

“There was a lot of effort put forth by those who were first on the scene, from emergency response to deputies, ambulance and state patrol, for someone that was trying to land a perfectly good plane.”

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified. An investigation is underway with more details forthcoming.

Original article ➤ https://www.eastidahonews.com

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - A 20-year-old Sugar City man walked away from a small plane crash in Island Park Saturday.

Dawson Pocock was trying to land his single-engine plane on an airstrip near Henry’s Lake.   Somehow it flipped to its top.

Pocock was not seriously hurt and was not taken to the hospital.

People who were fishing on the lake at the time said the plane was circling very slowly just before the crash.   It happened around 2:15 p.m.

There is no runway at Henry's Lake, just a field with a windsock that is a designated airstrip.

The field was snow-covered at the time which may have contributed to the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified about the crash.

Story and video ➤ https://www.localnews8.com

HENRY’S LAKE - A single-engine airplane coming in for a landing at the Henry’s Lake Airstrip overturned upon landing Saturday afternoon. There were no injuries.

“The airplane is upside down,” said Fremont County Sheriff Len Humphries.

Humphries reported the incident occurred at 2:18 p.m. An ambulance was called but was soon sent back home by Fremont County Sheriff’s deputies.

Recent rainy and snowy weather may have contributed to the accident, he said. 

“The pilot was landing and apparently the wheels hit a soft spot. The runway up there is not paved. It’s a dirt runway. We’ve had a lot of moisture up there the last little while,” Humphries said.

It wasn’t known where the pilot was from or the amount of monetary damage to the airplane.

Original article ➤ https://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com