Amateur-built DEUCE accident near Gillette, Wyoming, September 21, 1987
On September 21, 1987 at about 3:13 pm local time, a amateur-built DEUCE, registered N9659A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gillette, Wyoming (Gillette Campbell County 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1987 · about 3:13 pm local time
- Place
- Gillette, Wyoming · Gillette Campbell County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DEUCE
- Registration
- N9659A · registry record · serial 1006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT ON EACH OF HIS 1ST 3 ATTEMPTS TO LAND, HE BEGAN LOSING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING ROLL-OUT & WENT AROUND. ON THE 4TH ATTEMPT, HE AGAIN TRIED TO GO AROUND, BUT THE ACFT SWERVED OFF THE RWY & GROUND LOOPED, COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR & DAMAGING THE LEFT WING & PROP. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A WELD ON THE TAILWHEEL SPRING BRACKET FAILED & ALLOWED THE TAILWHEEL TO PIVOT FROM SIDE TO SIDE.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,589 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 1,589 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 139 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 21, 1986; 59 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 1:28 pm
- Destination: GCC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from GCC, 3 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.