20140321003579A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Donald G Stokes CHALLENGER II · Crockett, TX · March 21, 2014

Date: March 21, 2014 · 14:15 local
Place: Crockett, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N284DS
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN14CA170
Reported as: Donald G Stokes Challenger II
Reported engine: ROTAX 582DCDI
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,198 total11 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N284DSRegistration cancelled May 30, 2014 · Donald G Stokes CHALLENGER IIS/N CH2-0911-LSS-L65-0196 · Built 2013 Airframe modelDonald G Stokes CHALLENGER II Engine modelRotax 582DCDI2 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.

Pilot states that at approximately 1415 CDT, aircraft was on approach to private grass strip near Crockett, TX, when the landing gear struck the top wire of barb wire fence. Aircraft then veered right and struck pile of brush with RH wing, spun around and then struck the ground, causing the LH main gear to collapse. Fabric aircraft sustained substantial damage to vertical stabilizer, horizontal stabilizer, LH wing, RH wing, tail and fuselage.

Pilot reports the winds were gusting, which caused him to err. Weather nearby reported as: kdkr 211915Z auto 17007G14KT 85M clr 26/17 A2996 rmk A0Z.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATES THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 1415 CDT, AIRCRAFT WAS ON APPROACH TO PRIVATE GRASS STRIP NEAR CROCKETT, TX, WHEN THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE TOP WIRE OF BARB WIRE FENCE. AIRCRAFT THEN VEERED RIGHT AND STRUCK PILE OF BRUSH WITH RH WING, SPUN AROUND AND THEN STRUCK THE GROUND, CAUSING THE LH MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE. FABRIC AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO VERTICAL STABILIZER, HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, LH WING, RH WING, TAIL AND FUSELAGE.

PILOT REPORTS THE WINDS WERE GUSTING, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO ERR. WEATHER NEARBY REPORTED AS: KDKR 211915Z AUTO 17007G14KT 85M CLR 26/17 A2996 RMK A0Z.

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 CEN14CA170Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportCrockett, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, resulting in a hard landing.Mar 21, 2014 · Substantial damage