20230525008629A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Thompson Edward LM-5X-W · Limington, ME · May 25, 2023

Date: May 25, 2023 · 07:00 local
Place: Limington, ME
Airport: Limington-Harmon Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N970CE
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23LA243
Reported as: Thompson Edward LM-5X-W
Reported engine: Volkswagen 2276CC
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 982 total10 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N970CERegistration cancelled Nov 29, 2023 · Thompson Edward LM-5X-WS/N 1001 · Built 2019 Airframe modelThompson Edward LM-5X-W Engine modelVolkswagen 2276CC4 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.

Pilot in command (PIC) statement indicates PIC departed 63B on the grass beside runway 29. Winds were calm at the surface. PIC encountered gusty winds once above the trees. PIC climbed and turned to downwind to base and then to final. Lined up on grass for landing when sudden wind gust pushed the aircraft to the right of the runway. Aircraft impacted tree and then hangar. Aircraft impacted ground inverted, in front of hangar. Aircraft was substantially damaged. PIC was able to crawl out without injury.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) STATEMENT INDICATES PIC DEPARTED 63B ON THE GRASS BESIDE RUNWAY 29. WINDS WERE CALM AT THE SURFACE. PIC ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS ONCE ABOVE THE TREES. PIC CLIMBED AND TURNED TO DOWNWIND TO BASE AND THEN TO FINAL. LINED UP ON GRASS FOR LANDING WHEN SUDDEN WIND GUST PUSHED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREE AND THEN HANGAR. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED GROUND INVERTED, IN FRONT OF HANGAR. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. PIC WAS ABLE TO CRAWL OUT WITHOUT INJURY.

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 ERA23LA243Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportLimington, METhe pilot’s inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with a tree during landing.May 25, 2023 · Substantial damage