What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Monday, March 4, 2024, at approximately 1011 EST, ^,a Palmetto electronics model xair-h experimental light sport aircraft, was substantially damaged when it made a hard landing in a grass field near Twin Airpark (8NC2) in Ellenboro, NC. There were no injuries reported. The pilot departed 8NC2 and performed 2 takeoffs and landings with a full stop at kfqd. He refuels his aircraft, conducts one more take-off and landing then departs back to 8NC2. While in a normal left-hand pattern for runway 32, he retards the throttles, and the engine quits running. The pilot made several attempts to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. During the restart process, he lowered the flaps to 10 degrees and started heading for the south end of 8NC2. As he got closer to the ground, he realized that it would be a rougher terrain landing than normal and before making contact with the ground, he executed a hard flare to continue to fly the airplane to try to avoid obstacles.
On 03/06/2024, pilot interview was conducted on site wth the aircraft present. During the interview, a review of the maintenance logs and the pilot logs was conducted. The maintenance log showed that the operator had replaced the fuel pump approximately 18.27 flight hours prior to the incident.
Cause is not determined at this time, will continue to follow up with operator.
Sas task id: T-EA68-FY24-0812
As the FAA filed it
ON MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1011 EST, ^,A PALMETTO ELECTRONICS MODEL XAIR-H EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT MADE A HARD LANDING IN A GRASS FIELD NEAR TWIN AIRPARK (8NC2) IN ELLENBORO, NC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE PILOT DEPARTED 8NC2 AND PERFORMED 2 TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS WITH A FULL STOP AT KFQD. HE REFUELS HIS AIRCRAFT, CONDUCTS ONE MORE TAKE-OFF AND LANDING THEN DEPARTS BACK TO 8NC2. WHILE IN A NORMAL LEFT-HAND PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 32, HE RETARDS THE THROTTLES, AND THE ENGINE QUITS RUNNING. THE PILOT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING THE RESTART PROCESS, HE LOWERED THE FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES AND STARTED HEADING FOR THE SOUTH END OF 8NC2. AS HE GOT CLOSER TO THE GROUND, HE REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE A ROUGHER TERRAIN LANDING THAN NORMAL AND BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, HE EXECUTED A HARD FLARE TO CONTINUE TO FLY THE AIRPLANE TO TRY TO AVOID OBSTACLES.
ON 03/06/2024, PILOT INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED ON SITE WTH THE AIRCRAFT PRESENT. DURING THE INTERVIEW, A REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE LOGS AND THE PILOT LOGS WAS CONDUCTED. THE MAINTENANCE LOG SHOWED THAT THE OPERATOR HAD REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP APPROXIMATELY 18.27 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT.
CAUSE IS NOT DETERMINED AT THIS TIME, WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH OPERATOR.
SAS TASK ID: T-EA68-FY24-0812
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.