Amateur-built BOUNDS BEARCOUPE accident near Hanksville, Utah, May 5, 2017
On May 5, 2017 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 2013 amateur-built BOUNDS BEARCOUPE, registered N136BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hanksville, Utah (Hanksville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain airplane control during landing when he inadvertently applied brake pressure to the toe brakes when the airplane touched down.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2017 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hanksville, Utah · Hanksville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BOUNDS BEARCOUPE NO SERIES, built 2013
- Registration
- N136BC · registry record · serial 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and private pilot were conducting a personal flight in the tailwheel-equipped, experimental, amateur-built airplane. About 10 minutes before landing, the flight instructor, who had no previous experience flying the airplane, took control of the flight from the pilot and continued flying the airplane to landing. Due to his lack of prior experience flying the airplane, which had foot pedals that were raised off the floor, he inadvertently applied pressure to the toe brakes, which resulted in the airplane nosing over immediately on touchdown. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and wing attachment fittings during the accident. Both the pilot and flight instructor reported that there were no 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
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
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,500 hours in all; 0.1 in this make and model; 25.3 in the last 90 days; 3.5 in the last 30 days; 13,500 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 3, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,572 hours in all; 296 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,572 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 4, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 289 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 5, 2016; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-340-A1A (piston); 532 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hidden Splendor UT at 2:30 pm
- Destination: HVE Hanksville UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,600 ft by 120 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KHVE
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.
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 WPR17LA098.