20180827016089A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Airtime CYGNET · Gulf Breeze, FL · August 27, 2018

Date: August 27, 2018 · 12:00 local
Place: Gulf Breeze, FL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N186AT
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18FA235
Reported as: Airtime Cygnet
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 30 total30 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N186ATRegistration cancelled Nov 29, 2019 · Airtime CYGNETS/N 111 · Built 2016 Airframe modelAirtime CYGNET 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.

Airman had just departed the water on his first solo takeoff and landing. While on downwind and in straight and level flight, airman's CFI observed the left wing drop approximately 30 -40 degrees and then saw the right wing roll right. The aircraft then did a 180 degree spiral to the right and dove straight down. The aircraft appeared to level momentarily but due to momentum, hit the water flat and hard. The aircraft was observed to be upside in the water when the spray from the crash dissipated.

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN HAD JUST DEPARTED THE WATER ON HIS FIRST SOLO TAKEOFF AND LANDING. WHILE ON DOWNWIND AND IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT, AIRMAN'S CFI OBSERVED THE LEFT WING DROP APPROXIMATELY 30 -40 DEGREES AND THEN SAW THE RIGHT WING ROLL RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DID A 180 DEGREE SPIRAL TO THE RIGHT AND DOVE STRAIGHT DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO LEVEL MOMENTARILY BUT DUE TO MOMENTUM, HIT THE WATER FLAT AND HARD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE UPSIDE IN THE WATER WHEN THE SPRAY FROM THE CRASH DISSIPATED.

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 ERA18FA235Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPensacola, FLThe student pilot's loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons.Aug 27, 2018 · Substantial damage