Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Nose Over: CubCrafters CC11-160 Carbon Cub SS, N78BK; accident occurred March 07, 2020 in Mack, Mesa County, Colorado






Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board


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

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N78BK


Location: Mack, Colorado 
Accident Number: CEN20CA116
Date & Time: March 7, 2020, 11:00 Local
Registration: N78BK
Aircraft: Cub Crafters CC11-160 
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Nose over/nose down
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

According to the pilot, he was conducting an off-airport landing to a river sandbar when he noticed wires in his approach path. He pushed forward on the stick to lower the nose and avoid the wires; however, the airplane touched down in the river just short of the sand bar and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing strut. The pilot reported that the accident could have been avoided if he had reconnoitered the area for obstacles before beginning the approach. The pilot added that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 failure to reconnoiter the approach area in preparation for an off-airport landing on a sandbar, which necessitated an evasive maneuver to avoid wires and resulted in an unintentional landing in the river short of the sandbar and a subsequent nose-over.

Findings

Personnel issues Decision making/judgment - Pilot
Personnel issues Flight planning/navigation - Pilot
Environmental issues Soft surface - Effect on operation

Factual Information

History of Flight

Approach Abrupt maneuver
Landing Off-field or emergency landing
Landing-flare/touchdown Nose over/nose down (Defining event)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Commercial
Age: 36,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None 
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None 
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With waivers/limitations 
Last FAA Medical Exam: June 21, 2019
Occupational Pilot: No 
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: February 24, 2019
Flight Time: (Estimated) 3113 hours (Total, all aircraft), 72 hours (Total, this make and model), 3046 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 73 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 21 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cub Crafters 
Registration: N78BK
Model/Series: CC11-160 100
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2012 
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Experimental light sport (Special)
Serial Number: CC11-00222
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel 
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: July 13, 2019
Annual Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 305 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: CUB CRAFTERS
ELT: C126 installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: CC340
Registered Owner: 
Rated Power: 180 Horsepower
Operator: 
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGJT, 4839 ft msl 
Distance from Accident Site: 21 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 17:53 Local 
Direction from Accident Site: 112°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear 
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None 
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 10 knots / 
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:  /
Wind Direction: 130° 
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:  /
Altimeter Setting: 30.29 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / -8°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Moab, UT (UT97) 
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Mack, CO
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 07:15 Local
Type of Airspace: Class G

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None 
Latitude, Longitude: 39.264999,-108.950279(est)





MESA COUNTY, Colorado  (KKCO)- Search teams have extracted the pilot from Knowles Canyon via the Centurylink helicopter, and have brought him back to the staging area at Rabbit Valley.


The pilot did not receive any major injuries according to our crew on the scene.


The man was traveling from Moab to Grand Junction according to the Sheriff's Office. The cause of the crash is under investigation.


The Federal Aviation Administration says the plane was attempting to land on a sand bar but struck a cable, which flipped the plane into the river.


The Mesa County Sheriff's Office, Lower Valley Fire Protection District, Mesa County Search and Rescue, and Centurylink helicopter all responded during the operation.


Boats were launched and a helicopter was used to help locate the pilot at the crash site, which was near the Colorado River in Knowles Canyon.


Rescue crews received the call from the pilot just after 11:00 a.m. The pilot was conscious and said that they received no major injuries.


Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.nbc11news.com 






Local authorities conducted a successful rescue operation Saturday after a small plane crashed near the Utah-Colorado border.

The plane crashed near the Colorado River in Knowles Canyon.

The pilot, a 37-year-old male, suffered only minor injuries and is reported to be safe. He was flying from Moab, Utah, to Grand Junction when the plane crashed into the Colorado River, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.gjsentinel.com

4 comments:

  1. His daddy will buy him a new one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just buzzing along the river like those youtube videos. Was skeptical that it was maybe a skim landing fail until was just able to see there really is a cable about 10 feet above the wheels in this photo:
    https://www.facebook.com/Mesacountysheriffsoffice/photos/a.649738491703204/3099226973420998/?type=3&theater

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looking closer, the cable is higher than it looks - goes to a pole stand in the background. No cable contact marks on the paint of plane. This was a water assisted landing nose-over. Look at the still photo that shows the approach view at the 50 second mark of this news video, unlikely that he had hung up on the wire and left no marks, such minor damage:

      https://youtu.be/xpB8tXfw-vU?t=50

      Delete
  3. Have to look for the poles assume there is a wire at least he wasn't hurt.

    ReplyDelete