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GAA18CA025

2017-10-21 · Gerlach, Nevada, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 88NV

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's incorrect pitch control during the landing roll in shifting wind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over.

Factual narrative

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a wheel landing, the wind shifted from a crosswind to a quartering tailwind. He further reported that, he had full aft elevator applied, but lost control of the pitch when the wind shifted, and the airplane nosed over about 5 to 10 knots groundspeed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot did not report that there were any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during a wheel landing, the wind shifted from a crosswind to a quartering tailwind. He further reported that he applied full aft elevator but lost control of the pitch when the wind shifted, and the airplane nosed over about 5 to 10 knots groundspeed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Sudden wind shift-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA18CA025.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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