Amateur-built GOT ROCKS accident near Minchumina, Alaska, August 5, 2020
On August 5, 2020 at about 7:55 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built GOT ROCKS, registered N9015U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Minchumina, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an impact with a large hole and a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2020 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Minchumina, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GOT ROCKS No Series, built 2008
- Registration
- N9015U · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing his tailwheel and tundra tire-equipped airplane on a remote off-airport landing site. While on short final approach and just before touchdown a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the left. The airplane touched down about five ft left of his intended touchdown point and the left main tire impacted a large hole. The airplane subsequently nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the right wing, right lift strut and rudder. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that he knew the winds were erratic in the area, and the accident may have been prevented if he had selected another landing site where the winds were more predictable.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,613 hours in all; 1,562 in this make and model; 33.7 in the last 90 days; 14.3 in the last 30 days; 3,554 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 725.3 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 2, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 C1A (piston); 774 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAMR Anchorage AK
- Destination: Minchumina AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9015U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC20CA078.