Davenport Airport: Davenport, Washington

Airport is located 1 mile west of Davenport.

After making a wheel landing on Runway 05 with a right crosswind from 150 degrees at 12 knots and gusting, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot then applied left rudder and brakes but the airplane went off the right side of the runway. The airplane subsequently nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing tip, vertical stabilizer and rudder. The pilot stated that he could have maintained directional control if he had lowered the tailwheel sooner and not applied heavy braking.
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The amateur-built experimental category airplane descended to ground impact while maneuvering near the destination airport during a cross-country flight. Two witnesses aboard a boat, reported that the airplane was maneuvering over the river. One of the witnesses stated the airplane had followed them for approximately two miles, at an estimated altitude of 400 feet above ground level, before turning to the south. According to the witness, the airplane appeared to be turning when "the plane did a complete nosedive. ... Straight up and down." An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the wreckage at the accident site. The inspector reported that the airplane came to rest in an open ravine, approximately 436 feet south of the airport and was destroyed by impact forces. The inspector reported that the airplane impacted terrain in a right wing down, nose low attitude. All major components of the airplane were identified at the accident
site, and according to the inspector, there was no evidence of a preaccident mechanical malfunction. The airplane was equipped with dual flight controls. It could not be determined which of the two front seat pilots was seated in the left front seat, nor which one of the pilots was manipulating the flight controls when the accident occurred.
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The flight encountered light mixed icing during descent. The airplane was in icing conditions for about 15 minutes. The pilot used the de-icing boots during the icing encounter and cycled the boots for the last time on downwind leg for landing. During the landing flare, he reduced power over the threshold about 15 feet agl, and the airplane stalled at a higher than normal airspeed resulting in a hard landing. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented by keeping power and airspeed up until touchdown when landing an airplane which has encountered icing conditions and retained some airframe ice.