# Accident 20140827017569A: Bertagna John JUST HIGHLANDER, Birdsboro, PA, August 27, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 2014, 15:55 local time
- Place: Birdsboro, PA
- Airport: Bert'S Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2856° N, 75.7639° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2856&lon=-75.7639&mi=10
- Aircraft: N61148, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N61148-2018-03-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bertagna John JUST HIGHLANDER (registry code 05633E7, https://openairdocs.org/model/bertagna-john-just-highlander) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912UL series (registry code 55571, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BERTAGNA JOHN JUST HIGHLANDER
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912UL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 22,000 total, 5 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14CA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA410) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140827017569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE LOCATED INTACT (EXCEPT FOR PLASTIC WINGTIPS) NEXT TO LANDING RUNWAY 26 ON A 160 DEGREE HEADING.  THE AIRCRAFT FABRIC COVERING AND COWL WERE ALMOST COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY POST-CRASH FIRE. THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME SUSTAINED BOTH IMPACT AND FIRE DAMAGE.

THE FLYING PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD RECENTLY ACQUIRED THE AIRCRAFT, AND AFTER A CHECKOUT WAS STILL UNCOMFORTABLE. THE NON-FLYING PILOT/CFI HAD DEMONSTRATED SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS ON PREVIOUS LEGS THAT DAY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FLYING THE ACCIDENT LEG; BOTH PILOTS RECALL A NORMAL APPROACH, A BOUNCE, APPLICATION OF FULL POWER, AND THEN FINDING THEMSELVES ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE THE BURNING AIRCRAFT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT HE OWNER HAD ACCUMULATED APPROXIMATELY 5.2 HOURS IN THE AMATEUR BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, THE CFI APPROXIMATELY 1.0.

GROUND SCARS, DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME AND PROPELLER, WRECKAGE ORIENTATION, AND OCCUPANT STATEMENTS ARE ALL CONSISTENT WITH A LOW ALTITUDE STALL/SPIN OR TORQUEROLL WITH RESULTANT CARTWHEEL TYPE GROUND CONTACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA14CA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA410), Aug 27, 2014: Bertagna John Just Highlander (N61148), Birdsboro, PA, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot's improper landing flare and recovery from a bounced landing resulting in loss of aircraft control.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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