20120831021039A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Flight Design CTLS · Pittsford, MI · August 31, 2012

Date: August 31, 2012 · 08:30 local
Place: Pittsford, MI
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N995LS
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12CA603
Reported as: Flight Design Ctls
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 16 total16 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days

N995LSRegistration cancelled Nov 16, 2012 · Flight Design CTLSS/N F-10-07-12 · Built 2010 Airframe modelFlight Design CTLS Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

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.

The pilot departed hillsdale airport (kjym) at approx. 815 a.m. local time. The intention was a local, solo training Flight. The pilot departed the area sse approx. 7NM away, at 2500' MSL, to do a low approach on a 1800', north – south, private grass strip. He made left traffic and intended to do the approaches to the south. The approach was high, and he used 30 degrees of flaps. During the approach, the aircraft was drifting to the left (east). Full power was added for the go around. The flaps were not brought up, corrections back to runway center were being input, but the aircraft was still drifting to the left. The left wing struck a tree (approx. 14 feet up), separating from the airframe. The fuselage continued in an easterly direction, for approx. 78 feet, rolling onto its left side. It impacted a dirt road and slid into another small tree. The pilot egressed the aircraft, and sustained minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT DEPARTED HILLSDALE AIRPORT (KJYM) AT APPROX. 815 A.M. LOCAL TIME. THE INTENTION WAS A LOCAL, SOLO TRAINING FLIGHT. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AREA SSE APPROX. 7NM AWAY, AT 2500' MSL, TO DO A LOW APPROACH ON A 1800', NORTH – SOUTH, PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. HE MADE LEFT TRAFFIC AND INTENDED TO DO THE APPROACHES TO THE SOUTH. THE APPROACH WAS HIGH, AND HE USED 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DRIFTING TO THE LEFT (EAST). FULL POWER WAS ADDED FOR THE GO AROUND. THE FLAPS WERE NOT BROUGHT UP, CORRECTIONS BACK TO RUNWAY CENTER WERE BEING INPUT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS STILL DRIFTING TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE (APPROX. 14 FEET UP), SEPARATING FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE FUSELAGE CONTINUED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION, FOR APPROX. 78 FEET, ROLLING ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. IT IMPACTED A DIRT ROAD AND SLID INTO ANOTHER SMALL TREE. THE PILOT EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT, AND SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.

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 CEN12CA603Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportPittsford, MIThe student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while maneuvering at a low altitude.Aug 31, 2012 · Substantial damage