Amateur-built BEARHAWK accident near Walters, Oklahoma, March 8, 2015
On March 8, 2015 at about 2:20 am local time, a 2011 amateur-built BEARHAWK, registered N299BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Walters, Oklahoma (Jones Farm Field). 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 pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll at night on an unlit grass strip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2015 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Walters, Oklahoma · Jones Farm Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BEARHAWK, built 2011
- Registration
- N299BH · no longer on the register · serial 064-121-122-930
- 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 was inbound to his unlit private grass strip at night. He sat in the right seat and maneuvered the airplane to land on runway 17. He reported a slight crosswind from the left. When the airplane touched down on the up sloping runway, it bounced once and then settled onto the runway. The passenger heard a "crunch" sound when the landing gear hit a bump in the runway. The airplane veered to the right and the pilot was unable to maintain the runway centerline. The airplane continued to the right and impacted a barbed wire fence about 115 feet from the runway. The left main landing gear separated from the airplane and the right wing sustained substantial damage. The left brake line was found separated. The pilot reported that there was no forward visibility in this airplane during ground operations. He also stated that his failure to maintain control of the airplane contributed to the outcome. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain directional control while landing on the unlit grass strip at night with no forward visibility.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,098 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 4,939 as pilot in command; 915 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 1, 2014
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A4-40 (piston); 487 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTU Georgetown TX
- Destination: OK12 Walters OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,130 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KLAW, 12 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 27, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | 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.
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.