20030426007199A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Sphrth CIRRUS · Ephrata, WA · April 26, 2003

Date: April 26, 2003 · 13:50 local
Place: Ephrata, WA
Airport: Ephrata Municipal
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3839
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA03LA072
Reported as: Sphrth Cirrus
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,100 total50 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N3839Registration cancelled Dec 4, 2020 · Schempp-Hirth CIRRUSS/N 39 · Built 1968 Airframe modelSchempp-Hirth CIRRUS Engine modelNONENone

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot was on short final about to round out for landing when he deployed the spoilers and dropped about 10 feet to the landing surface. The right wing struck the ground pivoting the aircraft to the right. The subsequent side loading caused substantial damage to the main gear structure in addition to damage to the right wing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS ON SHORT FINAL ABOUT TO ROUND OUT FOR LANDING WHEN HE DEPLOYED THE SPOILERS AND DROPPED ABOUT 10 FEET TO THE LANDING SURFACE. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND PIVOTING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT. THE SUBSEQUENT SIDE LOADING CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN GEAR STRUCTURE IN ADDITION TO DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA03LA072Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEphrata, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while on final approach for landing. Low airspeed was a factor.Apr 26, 2003 · Substantial damage