Zlin Savage accident near Prescott, Arizona, January 3, 2019
On January 3, 2019 at about 8:12 pm local time, a 2006 Zlin Savage, registered N808JD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A Love Field). 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2019 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A Love Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Zlin Savage, built 2006
- Registration
- N808JD · registry record · serial 0095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while practicing stop-and-go landings, the airplane touched down and immediately veered right. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the airplane ground looped to the right and exited the right side of the runway. During the ground-loop, the left wing struck the ground. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut and wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 21R with wind from 070° at 4 knots.
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)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 490 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 437 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 51 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 12, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 8:09 pm
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21R, 4,846 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PRC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.