Amateur-built NIEUPORT 11 accident near Bellingham, Washington, June 4, 2011
On June 4, 2011 at about 7:13 pm local time, a amateur-built NIEUPORT 11, registered N118PS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham International 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2011 · about 7:13 pm local time
- Place
- Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built NIEUPORT 11
- Registration
- N118PS · no longer on the register · serial 009
- 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 his traffic pattern approach and touchdown on the runway were normal. The pilot stated that he lost directional control during landing rollout in his conventional gear airplane as he was transitioning from rudder effectiveness to tailwheel steering. Thereafter, the airplane ground looped and nosed over bending the rudder and firewall. The pilot also reported that no mechanical problems were experienced with his airplane during the mishap.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 22, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 148 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 2, 2011; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen 1835 cc (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WN35 Ferndale WA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:03 pm from BLI
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.