Amateur-built TAILWIND W 8 accident near Big Bear, California, January 25, 2016
On January 25, 2016 at about 3:30 am local time, a 1983 amateur-built TAILWIND W 8, registered N1983T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Big Bear, California (Big Bear City 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent landing off the left side of the snow-covered runway, resulting in a ground loop and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2016 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Big Bear, California · Big Bear City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TAILWIND W 8 NO SERIES, built 1983
- Registration
- N1983T · registry record · serial 306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during his approach at a non-towered airport at night, he made the descent to what he thought was the runway, but realized that it was actually the taxiway, and "slipped" right, to what he then perceived to be the runway. Upon touchdown, the airplane ground looped and nosed over. The pilot had landed and nosed over in the safety area to the left of the runway. The pilot reported that he had been flying for the preceding 12 hour period, and conceded to having exceeded his personal endurance limitations. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airplane prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › Lack of sleep › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Perception › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,034 hours in all; 170 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 15, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,192 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 24, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-JC1B (piston); 1,814 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJN Saint Johns AZ
- Destination: L35 Big Bear CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,850 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 am from KL35
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA121.