Skip to content

GAA18CA298

2018-05-23 · St. Johns, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SJN

Current FAA registration · N4207D

Make / Model
GARCIA BENIGNO BABY ACE D
Year of manufacture
1983 · 35 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES (65 hp)
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19830218
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4FEF0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting, quartering tailwind conditions.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, immediately after landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered left and then right. Subsequently, he applied "heavy" brakes, the airplane exited the right side of the runway, and came to rest nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed on runway 3. The pilot reported that, immediately after landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered left and then right. Subsequently, he applied "heavy" brakes, and the airplane exited the right side of the runway and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 10 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 3. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Tailwind-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA18CA298.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.