Amateur-built ROADRUNNER accident near Truckee, California, January 29, 2019
On January 29, 2019 at about 10:27 pm local time, a 2018 amateur-built ROADRUNNER, registered N949TS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Truckee, California (Truckee-Tahoe 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to allow the airplane to exit the runway onto a snow-covered field, which resulted in a nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2019 · about 10:27 pm local time
- Place
- Truckee, California · Truckee-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ROADRUNNER, built 2018
- Registration
- N949TS · registry record · serial 0818
- 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, during the landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane began to ground loop to the left. He corrected with opposite rudder and aileron and regained control of the airplane, but the airplane started to veer right. The pilot added that, while the airplane was veering right toward the edge of the runway, he assumed the snow on the adjacent field was compacted and would efficiently slow the airplane, so he let the airplane exit the runway to the right; however, the snow was "softer than [he] anticipated," and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation system reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 020º at 3 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 20.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery 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 › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy terrain › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,434 hours in all; 6,379 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 9.1 in the last 30 days; 1,388 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 63 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 13, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming HIO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O02 Beckwourth CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,654 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:24 pm from KTRK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA19CA120.