CubCrafters CC11-160 N78BK

Summary

On 7 March 2020 at about 18:00 local time, a CubCrafters CC11-160 registered N78BK, operated by Diamond M Aero Llc, was involved in an accident near Mack, Colorado, 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

7 March 2020 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mack, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.2650, -108.9503

Aircraft

CubCrafters CC11-160

Registration

N78BK

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Diamond M Aero Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Moab → Mack

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20CA116

Nobody was injured.

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.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.