Amateur-built GLASAIR III accident near Austin, Texas, September 12, 2014
On September 12, 2014 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 1999 amateur-built GLASAIR III, registered N39RD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Austin, Texas (Austin Executive Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s use of an improper attitude and airspeed during landing followed by excessive braking, which resulted in the airplane wheelbarrowing on the runway and a subsequent 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
- September 12, 2014 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Austin Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GLASAIR III, built 1999
- Registration
- N39RD · no longer on the register · serial 3073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he landed the airplane with about 5 knots of extra airspeed in case he encountered a surface crosswind. The airplane touched down about 6 ft right of the runway centerline. Shortly after touchdown, the nosewheel began to shimmy violently. The pilot applied maximum braking to both pedals simultaneously to reduce the speed as he applied back stick pressure, but the nosewheel continued to shimmy. The nosewheel fork then failed, and the nose landing gear dug into the runway, which caused the airplane to veer off the right side of the runway. The nose landing gear collapsed in the soft ground, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The postaccident examination of the nose landing gear, shimmy damper, and nosewheel revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The examination of the runway revealed a skid mark produced by the nosewheel tire, which indicated that the tire skidded back and forth while the airplane's direction continued straight down the runway. According to Federal Aviation Administration guidance, wheelbarrowing occurs when a pilot permits the airplane weight to become concentrated about the nosewheel during takeoff or landing, which can cause of a loss of directional control. One of the most common causes of wheelbarrowing during the landing roll is the simultaneous touchdown of the main wheels and nosewheel with excessive speed. The guidance states that "heavy braking should be avoided until the wings are devoid of lift and the airplane's full weight is resting on the landing gear," which is contrary to the pilot's actions. The circumstances of the accident were consistent with the airplane wheelbarrowing during the landing.
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
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 310 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 10, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 605 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 18, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 605 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UOX Oxford MS at 8:10 pm
- Destination: EDC Austin TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,025 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 10:49 pm from AUS, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on May 11, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Photo 1 - Skid Marks | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 2 - Skid Marks | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 3 - Nose Gear | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 4 - Wreckage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 5 - Scuffed Tire and Wheel Damage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 6 - Bent Travel Stop Pin | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 7 - Drag Link Next to Stop Pin | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 8 - Landing Gear | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Photo 9 - Disassembled Shimmy Damper | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo 10 - Exemplar Landing Gear with Stop Pin | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N39RD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.