NX Cub bounced landing (N69NX)

[Neal]

The airplane landed hard, bounced in the air and impacted the runway. The pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries.

One source says destroyed, another says minor damage:

https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:96:13696960317022::::P96_ENTRY_DATE,P96_MAKE_NAME,P96_FATAL_FLG:10-JUN-26,CUBCRAFTERS

Accident Cub Crafters CC19-215 NXCub N69NX, Tuesday 9 June 2026

The airplane landed hard, bounced in the air and impacted the runway. The pilot and passenger suffered minor injuries.

aviation-safety.net

 

[Waldom]

Cub Crafters made a good effort towards making the NX Cub idiot proof, but apparently some pilots take that as a challenge.

 

[Cactus Charlie]

ASN links a photo showing the accident aircraft on amphib floats. I don't know the configuration of the aircraft at the time of the accident but NX makes no difference if floats are fitted.

I have only flown straight floats so no knowledge of how challenging an NX would be on amphibs.

 

[Neal]

The link below is the news channel which shows this photo. Looks like "minor" damage

https://www.wmur.com/article/plane-crash-plymouth-new-hampshire-2-hurt-06092026/71539082

Also appears tailwheel config, not nosewheel as expected. This is why we pay what we do...

 

[Cactus Charlie]

Ok, so not on floats, thanks.

I'd like to see a video of how that landing got stuffed up so badly. Quite a bit of energy needed to do that much damage on a nice grass strip.

 

[Cactus Charlie]

Plymouth Fire press release here -


I did not find any other photos.

 

[Neal]

Not a good week for CubCrafters. 3 on the list now, another loss of control on landing (sport cub).

https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:93::🇳🇴

 

[Neal]

I'm curious - how many see any value in making practice wheel landings that progress to takeoff before tail lowering?

As a tail wheel instructor I thought wheel landings without tail lowering were of value only when introducing wheel landings. After the basics were understood I saw no value in making any landings that did not come to a full stop (or very close to a full stop) under control.

The FX-3 can be wheel landing at the same approach speed as for a 3 point landing. The transition to a wheel landing can happen after the 3 point landing flare has started. Why do so many insist on making high speed wheel landings?

What inspired this topic? I don't think any of the recent accidents outlined a landing technique or type? Something certainly to chat about maybe in another thread. Just curious why you asked?

 

[Meconiates]

So out of the blue on April 1, 2026 I received a text from the owner of N69NX and I honestly thought it was an April fools joke from one of my friends. The owner claimed to have 400 hours in N69NX in an Amphib configuration but recently converted it to tail wheel. In the text chain the owner included pictures of N69NX as an amphib, a pic as tailwheel plane, her ForeFlight 2025 annual summary and picture of herself (young Asian female).

She then asked me go up in my Carbon Cub SS ahead of her tailwheel transition training. I told her I wasn’t a CFI but I was happy to show her my plane and give her a ride… still 50% thinking this was an elaborate hoax.

Well she then went quiet for a while and then suddenly pinged me for landing advice. I would get texts like

“Do you have any tips for me about landing? A little bit gusty. Wheel landing and +10knots reduce one flap?“

I again told her that I wasn’t a CFI and she should get proper training. And I reminded her that her X Cub had Spring gear would bounce a lot more than a Cub on a full ACME suspension and she needed to get real proficiency. I got a few more texts asking again for landing advice and it was clear to me she had problems landing the plane without bouncing….

About a month later she said she had accumulated 100 hours of tailwheel and she asked me for airport camping spots.

 

[Neal]

It is amazing, I guess, that dealers and manufacturers will sell anyone a plane. Does anyone actually check if they're licensed, qualified or may be a threat to themselves or others? Something tells me this person probably wasn't insured either, or one could only hope! It's not helping the aviation community if people selling don't have some diligence to ensure the buyer is qualified.

 

[Cactus Charlie]

It's not helping the aviation community if people selling don't have some diligence to ensure the buyer is qualified.

Would you expect to have to present a car dealer with you driving record before being allowed to buy a car?

Fairly recently I sold a PA-28 that I had owned for over 20 years. I took the (potential) new owner for a flight and let him fly it for a while. Let's just say I wasn't impressed. We completed the sale and I offered to fly with him, at no charge, for as many hours as he wanted. He declined and I cautioned him to get familiar with the airplane before carrying passengers.

It was not my responsibility to ensure he was competent to operate the aircraft but I did what I could.

 

[Tsquared]

Cub Crafters made a good effort towards making the NX Cub idiot proof, but apparently some pilots take that as a challenge.

I learned a long time go to never underestimate the ingenuity of idiots nor their ability to overcome idiot proof things.

 

[Tsquared]

So out of the blue on April 1, 2026 I received a text from the owner of N69NX and I honestly thought it was an April fools joke from one of my friends. The owner claimed to have 400 hours in N69NX in an Amphib configuration but recently converted it to tail wheel. In the text chain the owner included pictures of N69NX as an amphib, a pic as tailwheel plane, her ForeFlight 2025 annual summary and picture of herself (young Asian female).

She then asked me go up in my Carbon Cub SS ahead of her tailwheel transition training. I told her I wasn’t a CFI but I was happy to show her my plane and give her a ride… still 50% thinking this was an elaborate hoax.

Well she then went quiet for a while and then suddenly pinged me for landing advice. I would get texts like

“Do you have any tips for me about landing? A little bit gusty. Wheel landing and +10knots reduce one flap?“

I again told her that I wasn’t a CFI and she should get proper training. And I reminded her that her X Cub had Spring gear would bounce a lot more than a Cub on a full ACME suspension and she needed to get real proficiency. I got a few more texts asking again for landing advice and it was clear to me she had problems landing the plane without bouncing….

About a month later she said she had accumulated 100 hours of tailwheel and she asked me for airport camping spots.

How do you get 100hrs of flying a tail dragger in a month? 3.3hrs each day isn’t a problem in a go fast, but in a cub?!? Not to mention that’s at least two oil changes (maybe three or four).