20170310002439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · CSP Leasing CAVALON · Santa Maria, CA · March 10, 2017

Date: March 10, 2017 · 15:00 local
Place: Santa Maria, CA
Airport: Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan H
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N425AG
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA17CA184
Reported as: CSP Leasing Cavalon
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 85 total85 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N425AGRegistration cancelled Jun 3, 2023 · CSP Leasing CAVALONS/N V00208 · Built 2015 Airframe modelCSP Leasing CAVALON Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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 had flown with an instructor for most of his logged time and was endorsed for solo flight.

The pilot was conducting solo flight, in the pattern, at Santa Maria airport, Santa Maria, CA, (ksmx). During his last practice landing, the pilot stated he landed, bounced about five feet high, then lost control of the pedals/rudder. The pilot stated the wind had shifted and there was a crosswind that may have contributed to his loss of control.

The main rotor blade made contact with the runway surface, causing the aircraft to flip over on its side.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT HAD FLOWN WITH AN INSTRUCTOR FOR MOST OF HIS LOGGED TIME AND WAS ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT.

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING SOLO FLIGHT, IN THE PATTERN, AT SANTA MARIA AIRPORT, SANTA MARIA, CA, (KSMX). DURING HIS LAST PRACTICE LANDING, THE PILOT STATED HE LANDED, BOUNCED ABOUT FIVE FEET HIGH, THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE PEDALS/RUDDER. THE PILOT STATED THE WIND HAD SHIFTED AND THERE WAS A CROSSWIND THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS LOSS OF CONTROL.

THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER ON ITS SIDE.

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 GAA17CA184Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSanta Maria, CAThe student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain crosswind correction during landing in crosswind conditions.Mar 10, 2017 · Substantial damage