20181128022999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Smith AEROSTAR 601 · Rock Hill, SC · November 28, 2018

Date: November 28, 2018 · 10:30 local
Place: Rock Hill, SC
Airport: Rock Hill/York Co/Bryant Field
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N909CA
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA083
Reported as: Smith Aerostar 601
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total200 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

N909CARegistration cancelled Jul 10, 2020 · Smith AEROSTAR 601S/N 61-0281-107 · Built 1976 Airframe modelSmith AEROSTAR 601 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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 lost directional control on landing and aircraft departed the runway and collided with terrain causing substantial damage. Investigation revealed that the pilot was unable to use one foot due to a bone fracture and was wearing a brace on said foot. This resulted in the airman being unable to manipulate the rudder pedals. Airman attempted to use a non pilot passenger to manipulate the rudder but loss of control resulted nevertheless.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON LANDING AND AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO USE ONE FOOT DUE TO A BONE FRACTURE AND WAS WEARING A BRACE ON SAID FOOT. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRMAN BEING UNABLE TO MANIPULATE THE RUDDER PEDALS. AIRMAN ATTEMPTED TO USE A NON PILOT PASSENGER TO MANIPULATE THE RUDDER BUT LOSS OF CONTROL RESULTED NEVERTHELESS.

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 GAA19CA083Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportRock Hill, SCThe pilot's improper decision to fly with an air cast boot on his foot, which led him to rely on the passenger to apply brakes and rudder, which was performed improperly and led to a loss of directional control.Nov 28, 2018 · Substantial damage