# Accident 20240304003829A: Palmetto Electronics Inc X-AIR H, Ellenboro, NC, March 4, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 4, 2024, 17:55 local time
- Place: Ellenboro, NC
- Airport: Twin Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.2894° N, 81.7841° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2894&lon=-81.7841&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3505W, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3505W) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Palmetto Electronics X-AIR H (registry code 05903ID, https://openairdocs.org/model/palmetto-electronics-x-air-h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Jabiru 2200 (registry code 34800, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-2200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PALMETTO ELECTRONICS INC X-AIR H
- Reported engine: JABIRU 2200
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 133 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA151) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240304003829A

## Narrative

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

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

## 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 ERA24LA151](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA151), Mar 4, 2024: Palmetto Electronics X-AIR H (N3505W), Ellenboro, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to an inoperative ignition system.

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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