Aero Design Eleven 12 accident near Spokane, Washington, April 10, 2000
On April 10, 2000 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Aero Design Eleven 12, registered N80XP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Felts 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
Cracking of the weld between the tailwheel stinger housing and longitudinal cross tube, resulting in separation of the tube/tail wheel assembly from the airframe.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 2000 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Felts Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aero Design Eleven 12
- Registration
- N80XP · registry record · serial 0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on runway 21R, and decelerating through about 25 miles per hour, the aircraft began to 'hunt.' In an effort to maintain directional control the pilot applied braking, however the aircraft ground-looped, coming to rest on the east side of the runway. When the pilot exited the aircraft he noted that the tail wheel assembly had separated from the airframe. Post-crash examination revealed that the tail wheel stinger sleeve, into which the stinger/tail wheel assembly bolts, had separated from the airframe at both the base of the rudder post and the lateral cross tube. Examination of the fracture surfaces of the sleeve where it attached to the lateral cross tube revealed discoloration of a portion of the tube end. The pilot/owner reported that only the top and bottom of the fish mouth joint had been welded to the tail wheel stinger tube where it attached to the lateral cross tube, and that 'failure at this joint allowed the tailwheel to break free of the airframe.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 153 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vendeneyev M-14 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA62 Spangle WA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21R, 4,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from SFF
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.