Amateur-built Hatz CB1 accident near Walhalla, South Carolina, January 11, 2006
On January 11, 2006 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Hatz CB1, registered N86LL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walhalla, South Carolina (Tokenna Air Park airport). 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 selection of unsuitable terrain to land. Contributing factors were the wet, soft, grassy runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2006 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Walhalla, South Carolina · Tokenna Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Hatz CB1
- Registration
- N86LL · registry record · serial 62
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that it had been raining for a couple of days prior to the accident flight. He departed Clemson, South Carolina, on a visual flight rules flight and flew around the local area before landing at Seneca, South Carolina. The pilot stated that he took a short break and departed Seneca en route to Walhalla, South Carolina. The pilot stated that he thought about not landing at Walhalla Airport since it has a grass strip and there had been a lot of rain. He entered left traffic and decided to land. Upon touchdown the main landing gear collided with the wet, soft, soggy, grass runway, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot stated, "I made an improper decision by not making a three point landing. I knew the grass was wet and the airplane would not have nosed over on touchdown in a three point attitude." The pilot further stated that he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 32,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 25,700 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 334 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tokenna SC at 7:40 pm
- Destination: Walhalla SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from CEU, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.