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20171202022359A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Weaver David A PULSAR - 912XP · Plato Center, IL · December 2, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 2, 2017 · 16:50 local
Place
Plato Center, IL
Airport
Oslon Airport
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N912GR
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA18CA069
Reported as
Weaver David A Pulsar - 912XP
Reported engine
ROTAX 912UL
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
640 total563 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days
N912GRRegistration cancelled Apr 23, 2019 · Weaver David A PULSAR - 912XPS/N 329 · Built 2007Airframe modelWeaver David A PULSAR - 912XPEngine modelRotax 912UL 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.

On December 2, 2017, the pilot in command (PIC) of N912GR, a pulsar 912XP, departed lawrenceville/vincennes airport (lwv) on a cross-country flight to olson airport (LL53). The weather was visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and not a factor.

The flight from lwv to LL53 was accomplished without incident. At LL53, the PIC was unable to activate the pilot-controlled lighting at the airport. Unable to visually locate the airport, the PIC elected to continue to fly his planned course until his GPS indicated he was directly over the airport. Upon arriving over the field, the PIC turned to a 060-degree heading, entered a right traffic pattern, and attempted to determine known landmarks near the airport. The PIC continued the landing pattern but was unable to visually acquire the runway. The aircraft continued on final until the left wheel struck a fence post in the field approximately 300 feet left of the runway 24 threshhold. The aircraft yawed left approximately 90 degrees, impacted the field in a level attitude, and skidded to a stop approximately 125 feet from the initial impact point. Observed damage was consistent with the impact of the left main gear and left flap with a hard object and subsequent ground skid.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 2, 2017, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF N912GR, A PULSAR 912XP, DEPARTED LAWRENCEVILLE/VINCENNES AIRPORT (LWV) ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO OLSON AIRPORT (LL53). THE WEATHER WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) AND NOT A FACTOR.

THE FLIGHT FROM LWV TO LL53 WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT LL53, THE PIC WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE PILOT-CONTROLLED LIGHTING AT THE AIRPORT. UNABLE TO VISUALLY LOCATE THE AIRPORT, THE PIC ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO FLY HIS PLANNED COURSE UNTIL HIS GPS INDICATED HE WAS DIRECTLY OVER THE AIRPORT. UPON ARRIVING OVER THE FIELD, THE PIC TURNED TO A 060-DEGREE HEADING, ENTERED A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND ATTEMPTED TO DETERMINE KNOWN LANDMARKS NEAR THE AIRPORT. THE PIC CONTINUED THE LANDING PATTERN BUT WAS UNABLE TO VISUALLY ACQUIRE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ON FINAL UNTIL THE LEFT WHEEL STRUCK A FENCE POST IN THE FIELD APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET LEFT OF THE RUNWAY 24 THRESHHOLD. THE AIRCRAFT YAWED LEFT APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES, IMPACTED THE FIELD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, AND SKIDDED TO A STOP APPROXIMATELY 125 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. OBSERVED DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE IMPACT OF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AND LEFT FLAP WITH A HARD OBJECT AND SUBSEQUENT GROUND SKID.

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 GAA18CA069Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPlato Center, ILThe pilot’s decision to continue to land without visual reference to the airport in low light conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to activate the private airport’s pilot-controlled lighting system due to its configuration.Dec 2, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N912GR · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20070821826619IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Plato Center, IL(-23) The pilot departed Olson field, (LL53) for the first test flight of his homebuilt/experimental aircraft. His first attempt at a landing was aborted due to being high and fast. On the second attempt, he purposely shallowed his approach so as to turn…Aug 21, 2007 · Reported as Amtr Pulsarxp · Minor damage