Aviat A-1A N391C

Summary

On 12 June 2009 at about 21:55 local time, a Aviat A-1A registered N391C, operated by Fowlkes Preston L, was involved in an accident near Marfa, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 June 2009 at 21:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Marfa, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Private (None)

Coordinates

30.3692, -104.0172

Aircraft

Aviat A-1A

Registration

N391C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Fowlkes Preston L

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fowlkes → Marfa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09CA352

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain control while landing in gusty winds.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was using his single-engine airplane to conduct an aerial survey of his ranch when he noted a trough that was overflowing. He elected to land at the nearby 1,100-foot-long dirt airstrip so that he could fix the water problem. During landing, the pilot encountered a gust of wind and the airplane bounced, traveling beyond the point where an aborted landing could be safely achieved due to a row of power lines. The pilot first applied brakes, which caused the tail to rise, but not enough to slow the airplane down to a full stop. He then applied full brakes, subsequently flipping the airplane over and resulting in damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.