North American/Victoria Mnt Lt AT-6A accident near Olympia, Washington, June 20, 2009
On June 20, 2009 at about 2:15 am local time, a North American/Victoria Mnt Lt AT-6A, registered N9793Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Olympia, Washington (Olympia airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind gust and failure to maintain directional control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2009 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Olympia, Washington · Olympia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American/Victoria Mnt Lt AT-6A · all AT-6As on the register
- Registration
- N9793Z · registry record · serial 75-3048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While making a three-point landing in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot encountered a strong crosswind gust about the same time that he was initiating the landing flare. Because the pilot was unable to compensate for the wind gust, the airplane touched down with its right main landing gear beyond the right edge of the runway. The pilot saw that the airplane was approaching a runway sign, so he added power in order to execute a go-around, but the right wing impacted the sign before he could get it airborne. Immediately after the airplane impacted the sign, the pilot cut the power and aborted the go-around. The airplane's right wing and its fuselage both sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no problems with any of the airplane's control systems. The reported wind conditions included wind gusts up to 18 knots at the time of the accident.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 8, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,261 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KELN Elllensburg WA at 1:00 am
- Destination: KOLM Olympia WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,157 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:33 am from KOLM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR09CA300.