Cub Crafters CC18 accident near Yakima, Washington, March 15, 2019
On March 15, 2019 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 2010 Cub Crafters CC18, registered N767CC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Yakima, Washington (Yakima Air Terminal/Mcallister airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 landing, which resulted in a ground loop, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2019 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Yakima, Washington · Yakima Air Terminal/Mcallister · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cub Crafters CC18 180, built 2010 · all CC18s on the register
- Registration
- N767CC · registry record · serial CC18-0046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll of a touch-and-go landing, he added slight right correction followed by left correction. The airplane veered left, and the pilot added full right rudder, but the airplane ground looped to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The flight instructor 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 station reported that, about 23 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 170° at 6 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.
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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 599.7 hours in all; 599.7 as pilot in command; 64.3 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 13, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 151 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 12, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P (piston); 860 hours total
- Operator: L-Bird Llc
The flight
- Departed from: YKM Yakima WA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: YKM Yakima WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 7,604 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KYKM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 4, 2019. 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.