# Accident 20230120000579A: Degraw Richard R SUMMIT 23, Wauchula, FL, January 20, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 20, 2023, 15:30 local time
- Place: Wauchula, FL
- Airport: Wauchula Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.5149° N, 81.8805° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5149&lon=-81.8805&mi=10
- Aircraft: N40DG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40DG-2024-11-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Degraw Richard R SUMMIT 23 (registry code 05623A1, https://openairdocs.org/model/degraw-richard-r-summit-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DEGRAW RICHARD R SUMMIT 23
- Reported engine: BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,260 total, 857 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA114) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230120000579A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 20, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A REGISTERED GYROCOPTER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A SUMMIT 23, SERIAL NUMBER 9203,WAS ON APPROACH FOR LANDING AT WAUCHULA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KCHN), FLORIDA. THE CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS THE SOLE PERSON ONBOARD AND SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.  THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

A NORMAL LANDING APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 WAS PERFORMED.  AS AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING TOUCHDOWN, PILOT STATED THAT HE REALIZED THAT HE FLARED TOO HIGH (APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET), RESULTING IN A HARD TOUCHDOWN WITH LEFT WHEEL LOW.  THIS BEGAN A SERIES OF SUBSEQUENT LEFT AND RIGHT WHEEL BOUNCES, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT LAYING ON IT'S SIDE.  A WRITTEN STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FULLY AWARE OF HIS MISTAKE.

## 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 ERA23LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA114), Jan 20, 2023: Degraw Richard R Summit 23 (N40DG), Wauchula, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and dynamic rollover.

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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