- Date
- September 17, 2009, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mt. Vernon, IL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4DDDiehl KR-2
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090917020179A
- Case key
- 74751
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper landing flare while landing with gusting winds and his failure to perform a go-around.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during the landing attempt at the destination airport, the airplane got "...caught by a gust of wind..." during touchdown. As the gust subsided, the plane landed hard in a nose-down, right-wing-low attitude. The airplane's right wing separated and the firewall became damaged, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot further stated that, had he been aware of any turbulence or gusting winds, he would have not made the flight. A witness stated that the pilot obtained and received wind and runway information via the common traffic advisory frequency. Upon the pilot's initial request for wind information, he was advised that winds were 050 degrees at 8 knots and later advised that winds were 090 degrees at 12 knots following his second request for wind information.
Factual narrative
The pilot was en route to the destination airport where he attempted a landing during which the airplane bounced on runway 05 (6,496 feet by 150 feet, dry asphalt). The airplane's right wing separated and the firewall became damaged resulting in substantial damage. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot stated that the airplane got "...caught by a gust of wind..." during touchdown and had he been aware of any turbulence or gusting winds he would have never made the flight. A witness stated that the pilot obtained and received wind and runway information via the common traffic advisory frequency. Upon the pilot's initial request for wind information, he was advised that winds were 050 degrees at 8 knots and and later advised that winds were 090 degrees at 12 knots following his second request for wind information.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4DD
- Reported as
- Diehl KR-2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 1,850
- Engine
- Continental O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 8, 2008
- Departed
- HUF · Indianapolis, IN
- Destination
- MVN · Mt. Vernon, IL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- MVN · Mount Vernon Airport, runway 05, 6,496 × 150 ft
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 9, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 302 total · 5 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- MVN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 713 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.