Amateur-built MARINE DEVIL DOG accident near Danville, Arkansas, August 3, 2017
On August 3, 2017 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built MARINE DEVIL DOG (weight-shift aircraft), registered N165AB, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Danville, Arkansas (Danville Municipal 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
A separation of the left tire from its wheel because of the use of an improper substance and wheel size, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2017 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Danville, Arkansas · Danville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MARINE DEVIL DOG, built 2008
- Registration
- N165AB · no longer on the register · serial USMC-DD1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated pilot, who was the owner of the experimental weight shift control aircraft, stated that he was practicing a series of takeoff and landings called "crow hops" when the left main landing gear tire separated from the wheel rim. The aircraft then veered off the runway and rolled onto its side. The pilot stated that the previous airplane owner had put liquid fix-a-flat in the left tire, which is a product not to be used in aircraft tires. The pilot said that liquid fix a flat will corrode the aluminum of the landing gear wheels and allowed the tire to spin on the wheel during braking. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the presence of liquid flat repair called "slime," and that the diameter of the main landing gear wheel was relatively small compared to the tire, which likely resulted in slippage of the tire from the wheel.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Part(s) separation from AC during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Loss of control on ground 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 › Wheel/ski/float › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 170 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 2, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Suzuki G13B (piston); 175 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 32A Dansville AR
- Destination: 32A Dansville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 5,324 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from RUE, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 12, 2018. 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 Correspondence - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | 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.