N4XKKeller Frederick H FK 1 STOL · 1989

On February 26, 2010, about 1130 mountain standard time, a ski-equipped experimental Keller FK1 STOL, N4XK, collided with a Cessna A185F, N1979T, during the landing roll out at the Dixie USFS Airport (A05), Dixie, Idaho. The pilot/owner operated N4XK under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, as a personal flight. The pilot and passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot/owner operated N1979T under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, as a personal flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall.

The incident was upgraded to an accident on March 8, 2010, after investigators were able to determine that there had been substantial damage to at least one of the airplanes involved in the ground collision.

In his written statement, the pilot of N4XK stated that N1979T landed to the north, toward rising terrain, and turned around at the end of the strip. He then proceeded to land in the same direction the pilot of N1979T had landed; however, after touchdown his airplane did not decelerate as he had expected it to. He tried to maneuver between N1979T and a bank, but his airplane veered "uncontrollably" to the left toward N1979T. The pilot of N4XK further stated that his airplane was going no faster than 15 miles per hour, and was not responding to rudder input. The airplanes impacted nose-to-nose, which caused damage to the spinner, propeller, engine mounts and cowling of N4XK. In the RECOMMENDATION section of the National Transportation Safety Board pilot/operator report (NTSB Form 6120.1), the pilot of N4XK stated that landing on skis in an unfamiliar airport, with untried surface conditions, with another airplane near the roll out area was not recommended. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airframe or engine.

In the written statement for the pilot of N1979T, he stated that upon arrival at the accident airport, he overflew the strip several times to assess the runway conditions. He contacted a friend on the ground and asked him to make a pass on his snow machine over the runway to check the condition. After the snow machine made a complete pass over the runway, the pilot contacted his friend again and was told that the snow was "excellent, being both smooth and well-compacted." The pilot reported that he landed to the north and turned around at the end of the runway as the midfield tie down area was not available. He was shutting down his airplane as N4XK was landing. The pilot of N1970T stated that N4XK did not appear to be slowing down as much as he had expected it to even though N4XK was in the deeper snow on the right side of the runway. About 100 feet from his airplane, N4XK's nose swung abruptly toward N1979T. He realized N4XK was going to hit his airplane, so he dove into the co-pilot seat and braced for impact. The pilot of N1979T reported the damage to his airplane as the propeller, cowling, engine, firewall, boot cowl, and the windshield V-brace. He further reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airframe or engine.