Amateur-built CCK-1865 accident near Bellingham, Washington, May 2, 2013
On May 2, 2013 at about 1:32 am local time, a amateur-built CCK-1865, registered N88XC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham International airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2013 · about 1:32 am local time
- Place
- Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CCK-1865
- Registration
- N88XC · no longer on the register · serial CCK-1865-0008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the private pilot were performing practice takeoff and landings in the amateur-built experimental airplane so the pilot could provide an assessment of the airplane's handling qualities. The flight instructor reported that the pilot made a normal approach with full flaps and that the pilot made a "good landing with a normal touchdown." The pilot then commented that "it's skittish alright," and the airplane began to enter a ground loop. The flight instructor took over the controls, but the airplane exited the runway, continued through at least a portion of the ground loop, and dragged the right wingtip on the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to some right wing ribs and the right aileron. The flight instructor reported that the tower air traffic controller stated that the wind was "light and variable at 4 knots" about that time. The pilot reported that this was his first flight in the accident airplane make and model. Neither the flight instructor nor the pilot reported any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 34,000 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command; 2,800 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 290 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 182 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 24, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,320 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 6, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 1,865 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Adolphson unk (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wheels Skis &Floats LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BLI Bellingham WA at 1:00 am
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.54 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from BLI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.