Amateur-built CARBON CUB CCK-1865 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, August 13, 2016
On August 13, 2016 at about 2:00 am local time, a 2016 amateur-built CARBON CUB CCK-1865, registered N625EX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Wasilla, Alaska (Todds Strip Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the tailwheel suspension assembly during landing due to preexisting fatigue fractures in the suspension system, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2016 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Todds Strip Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CARBON CUB CCK-1865, built 2016
- Registration
- N625EX · registry record · serial 0093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that, while landing on a turf and gravel airstrip, the airplane veered sharply left as the tailwheel touched down. Despite applying full right rudder and brake controls, the pilot was unable to correct the airplane's track, and the right wing and horizontal stabilizer impacted the ground. The pilot stated that, after the airplane stopped, he was unable to straighten the tailwheel with the rudder control inputs because the tailwheel was bent. Postaccident metallurgical examination of the tailwheel suspension system revealed fractures within the welds of the assembly and a fatigue fracture at the bolt hole for mounting the tailwheel. The crack fracture surfaces exhibited orange and dark red corrosion, suggesting that the cracks were preexisting, and the fracture surfaces were consistent with overstress. The assembly also exhibited general twisting deformation, primarily as the result of deformation in the pivot bracket.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,116 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 317 in the last 90 days; 98 in the last 30 days; 4,636 as pilot in command; 2,157 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 96 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 27, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,865 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Aerosport CC-340 (piston); 64 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSAT Summit AK
- Destination: 5AK5 Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 1,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.