N391C – AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC A-1A – 2009-06-12 NTSB Accident Report

On June 12, 2009, a Aviat Aircraft INC A-1A (N391C) was involved in an incident near Marfa, TX. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain control while landing in gusty winds.

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 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 the not enough to slow the airplane down to a full stop. So, he then applied full brakes which subsequently flipped the airplane over resulting in damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN09CA352. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N391C.