Amateur-built Bearhawk accident near Port Angeles, Washington, August 5, 2006
On August 5, 2006 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Bearhawk, registered N347JP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Angeles, Washington (Fairchild Inter Arpt 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of directional control as a result of the disconnected tail wheel steering system, which led to an inadvertent ground loop during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2006 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Port Angeles, Washington · Fairchild Inter Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Bearhawk
- Registration
- N347JP · registry record · serial 347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he had done several stop-and-go landings; he then made a full stop for a respite. When he taxied out for his next departure on runway 08, he experienced no steering problems. As he took off, the airplane vibrated briefly. The pilot performed another landing and had a firm touchdown. He said the aircraft immediately veered left and full right rudder had no effect. He said that his feet had slipped off the aircraft's toe brakes during the landing, so differential braking was not possible. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing and aileron were bent. Postaccident examination of the tail wheel assembly revealed that the clevis which connected the left tail wheel spring to the wheel's steering arm was missing. Additionally, serpentine skid marks where found on the runway that appeared to be the result of a tailwheel shimmy. The pilot reported that the wind during his first landing was from 350 degrees at 6 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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,218 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLM Port Angeles WA at 6:25 pm
- Destination: W28 Sequim WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 6,347 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from CLM
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.
Other NTSB records under N347JP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.