The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Accidents · NTSB WPR20CA142 · Final report

N126C LLC CCX-2000 accident near Heber City, Utah, May 8, 2020

On May 8, 2020 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 2017 N126C LLC CCX-2000, registered N363EX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Heber City, Utah (Heber Valley 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).

The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

The front seat pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, and the rear seat pilot's delayed remedial control inputs that subsequently resulted in a ground loop. Contributing to the accident was a lack of communication by both pilot's to establish clearly defined pilot-in-command roles prior to the accident flight.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
May 8, 2020 · about 4:45 pm local time
Place
Heber City, Utah · Heber Valley · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
N126C LLC CCX-2000, built 2017
Registration
N363EX · registry record · serial CCX-2000-0001
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The accident flight was a sales demonstration conducted by the rear seat pilot, an employee of the airplane manufacturer, for the front seat pilot. At the time, the rear seat pilot held a private pilot certificate and had accumulated 1,000 total flight hours in the accident airplane make and model. The front seat pilot held a commercial pilot certificate, but his most recent flight review had expired at the time of the accident flight. He reported that he had no experience in the airplane make and model. The rear seat pilot reported that during their final landing attempt with the front seat pilot on the controls, the airplane touched down normally and started to veer to the left. The front seat pilot corrected to the right and the rear seat pilot then attempted to recover the airplane with left rudder and right aileron, but the airplane ground looped to the right. According to the front seat pilot, the rear seat pilot interfered with the rudder controls during the rollout, which impeded his attempts to maintain directional control after the airplane veered to the right. The left wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. According to the rear seat pilot, at the time of the accident, the company did not have a formal policy to learn a prospective buyer's qualifications prior to a sales flight. Instead, they required a conversation with the prospective buyer about their recent flight history based on "trust and judgment." He further remarked that for the accident flight there could have been better communication, as he did not formally ascertain the front seat occupant's level of proficiency and experience. The rear seat pilot further stated that both occupants were wearing face masks, which interfered with their communication. The front seat pilot reported that they never discussed his flight experience, qualifications, or proficiency in the airplane prior to the accident flight. He was also never advised that he would assume the role of pilot-in-command. Neither pilot reported that there were any preimpact mechanical anomalies 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

  1. 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 › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › Pilot
  • factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Communication (personnel) › Lack of communication › Passenger

Pilot

  • Certificate: private
  • Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
  • Flight time: 4,750 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 4,680 as pilot in command
  • Last flight review: August 22, 2019
  • Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: rear
  • Injury: no injuries

Pilot-Rated Passenger

  • Certificate: private
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 1,420 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 716 as pilot in command
  • Last flight review: August 15, 2016
  • Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: frt
  • Injury: no injuries

The aircraft

  • Airframe total time: 593.7 hours
  • Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2019; 35 hours since
  • Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
  • Seats: 2
  • Landing gear: fixed
  • Engine: Lycoming YIO-360-EXP12 (piston); 250 hours total
  • Operator: Cubcrafters, Inc.

The flight

  • Departed from: HCR Heber UT at 4:00 pm
  • Destination: HCR Heber City UT
  • Flight plan: none
  • Runway 22, 6,898 ft by 75 ft
  • A second pilot was aboard

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Visibility: 10 statute miles
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
  • Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
  • Observation at 3:55 pm

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew1
Passengers1

Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report

4 documents, released by the NTSB on September 10, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.

The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.

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.