- Date
- June 18, 2011, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gardner, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N563Worley Dennis Sonex
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110618011349A
- Case key
- 80849
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 failure to maintain a proper glide path during the visual approach.
Findings · 2
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 entered the traffic pattern for a visual approach to the runway. He reported that the final approach descent was faster than he anticipated due to the high humidity and high density altitude. He added more engine power to arrest the descent rate, but the airplane landed short of the runway in a wet, grass field and came to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the main landing gear separated and the aft carry-through wing spar was bent. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot entered the traffic pattern for a visual approach to the runway. The pilot reported the final approach descent was faster than he anticipated "due to the high humidity...high density altitude." The pilot added more engine power to arrest the descent rate; however, the airplane landed short of the runway in a wet, grass field. The airplane came to rest upright in the field. The examination of the airplane showed the main landing gear partially separated and the aft carry through wing spar was bent. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies or issues with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N563
- Reported as
- Worley Dennis Sonex
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 474
- Airframe hours
- 141
- Engine
- Volkswagen CONVERSION, 36 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ted Thomas
- Registered owner
- Ted Thomas
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 17, 2011
- Departed
- OJC · Olathe, KS
- Destination
- Gardner, KS
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- May 16, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 121 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 321 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.