What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omitted Had purchased aircraft believing that he had an ultralight aircraft. Aircraft was advertised as ultralight design by manufacture. Aircraft in question had an airworthiness certificate and operating limitations stating it was an experimental light sport aircraft.
Pilot’s previous experience was 14 hours of gyrocopter, 5 hours in an ultralight aircraft and 6 hours in part 23 aircraft. Pilot had previously taxied the aircraft around the airport and felt ready for flight. Takeoff went well. On final, the pilot encountered some turbulence and had some gusting wind on landing. On touching down, the pilot dropped the aircraft in and lost directional control. The aircraft departed the runway on the right side and ended up around 50 yards off the runway. The landing gear collapsed from the landing force and the airframe broke some tubes, causing the pilot to fracture 3 vertebrae. Wind was reported as 5 mph gusting to 10 mph.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD PURCHASED AIRCRAFT BELIEVING THAT HE HAD AN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT WAS ADVERTISED AS ULTRALIGHT DESIGN BY MANUFACTURE. AIRCRAFT IN QUESTION HAD AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE AND OPERATING LIMITATIONS STATING IT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT.
PILOT’S PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WAS 14 HOURS OF GYROCOPTER, 5 HOURS IN AN ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT AND 6 HOURS IN PART 23 AIRCRAFT. PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT AROUND THE AIRPORT AND FELT READY FOR FLIGHT. TAKEOFF WENT WELL. ON FINAL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED SOME TURBULENCE AND HAD SOME GUSTING WIND ON LANDING. ON TOUCHING DOWN, THE PILOT DROPPED THE AIRCRAFT IN AND LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND ENDED UP AROUND 50 YARDS OFF THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED FROM THE LANDING FORCE AND THE AIRFRAME BROKE SOME TUBES, CAUSING THE PILOT TO FRACTURE 3 VERTEBRAE. WIND WAS REPORTED AS 5 MPH GUSTING TO 10 MPH.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N139SB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.