Amateur-built BearHawk accident near Hadley, Nevada, May 12, 2009
On May 12, 2009 at about 8:05 pm local time, a amateur-built BearHawk, registered N232PF, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hadley, Nevada (Round Mountain 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswinds during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2009 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Hadley, Nevada · Round Mountain · 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
- N232PF · registry record · serial BH232-7
- 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 prior to departure in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, the windsock was indicating strong winds perpendicular to the runway with variable gusts. He stated that he waited until he saw a favorable (headwind) gust and then applied takeoff power. During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the right, which lifted the right wing and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane pivoted to the left, veered off the runway surface, and impacted a dirt berm. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. The nearest weather reporting station is located 38 nautical miles south of the accident airport, and was reporting winds at the time of the accident at 3.3 miles per hour (mph) gusting to 14.3 mph.
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 takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,180 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 3,552 as pilot in command; 83 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 22, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 760 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 1, 2008; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: A36 Hadley NV at 8:05 pm
- Destination: A36 Hadley NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,776 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Observation at 8:00 pm from TPH, 38 miles away
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.