# NTSB CEN11LA265: Dassault-Breguet Falcon 10, N303FZ, Sellersburg, IN, March 24, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 23, 2011, 22:50 local (Mar 24, 2011, 02:50 UTC)
- Place: Sellersburg, IN
- Coordinates: 38.365554, -85.738334 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3656&lon=-85.7383&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 17, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 78759
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11LA265
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78759/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78759
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA265

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing in strong and gusty wind conditions.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate; cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate; cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2730101), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was landing the airplane in a strong and gusty left quartering headwind and, as the airplane touched down, it encountered a wind gust that raised the left wing. The pilot corrected with a left roll input as he simultaneously reduced the airplane's pitch in an attempt to place the nosewheel onto the runway, but the airplane became airborne and drifted off the runway. The airplane touched down for the second time in the grassy area alongside the runway, where the subsequent landing roll was completed. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

## Factual narrative

On March 23, 2011, about 2250 eastern daylight time, a Dassault-Breguet model Falcon 10 business jet, N303FZ, was substantially damaged when it departed the runway during landing at Clark Regional Airport (KJVY), Sellersburg, Indiana. The captain, first officer, and sole passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Aviation Transport Solutions LLC, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the flight from Butler County Regional Airport (KHAO), Hamilton, Ohio, that departed about 2200. The captain, an airline transport pilot, reported that he was the pilot-flying during the accident flight. After departure, the flight had to circumnavigate around numerous thunderstorms that affected the planned route of flight. When the flight was within 25 nautical miles (nm) of its intended destination, the flight crew canceled the instrument flight plan and concluded the flight under visual flight rules. The local weather conditions were obtained from the destination airport's automatic weather observing system. The captain noted the wind was from 310 degrees at 19 knots, gusting 27 knots. A 5 nm straight-in final approach was flown to runway 36 (5,500 feet by 100 feet). The captain reported that the landing reference speed (Vref) was 110 knots, which included a 5 knot gust factor. As the airplane touched down on its main landing gear, it encountered a wind gust that raised the left wing. The captain corrected with a left roll input as he simultaneously reduced the airplane's pitch in an attempt to place the nose wheel onto the runway, but the airplane became airborne and drifted off the runway. The airplane touched down for the second time in the grassy area alongside the runway where the subsequent landing roll was completed without further incident. The captain reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed that the right main landing gear had shifted/twisted inside the wheel well damaging both forward and aft spar assemblies. Additionally, the aft movement of the nose landing gear had damaged the forward pressure bulkhead. Both engines appeared to have ingested foreign object debris past their first compressor stages. The nearest aviation weather observation station with recorded historical weather information was at Bowman Field Airport (KLOU), about 10 nm south of destination airport, which was equipped with an automated surface observing system (ASOS). At 2253, the KLOU ASOS reported the following weather conditions: Wind 310 degrees at 22 knots, gusting 29 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky clear; temperature 14 degrees Celsius; dew point 4 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 29.65 inches of mercury. The report also noted a peak windvelocity was recorded at 2223 measuring 38 knots from 310 degrees.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N303FZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N303FZ-2024-04-30), registration cancelled 2024-04-30, S/N 218, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Dassault-Breguet Falcon 10
- Registry model: [Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10](https://openairdocs.org/model/dassault-breguet-falcon-10) (registry code 2730101) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Garrett TFE731-2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/garrett-tfe731-2) (registry code 29086, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 218
- Airframe hours: 7640
- Engines: Garrett TFE731-2-1C 3230 lbs thrust turbo fan; Garrett TFE731-2-1C 3230 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Aviation Transport Solutions, LLC
- Registered owner: Aviation Transport Solutions, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, March 16, 2011
- Departed: KHAO, Hamilton, OH
- Destination: KJVY, Sellersburg, IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KJVY, Clark Regional Airport, runway 36, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 20, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 13,777 total, 300 in this make and model, 11,704 as pilot in command, 89 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 32; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 20, 2010; seat: right; flight hours: 2,642 total, 140 in this make and model, 124 in the last 90 days, 39 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 310° at 22 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observed at: KLOU, 10 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20110323004619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110323004619A), Mar 23, 2011: Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, Sellersburg, IN, Substantial damage. Upon landing, the aircraft caught a gust of wind from the left side that lifted the aircraft off the ground and displaced it to the right of the runway…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 1, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78759. 668 KB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 466 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359011&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Memorandum of Conversation, FAA Inspector Bradley Behnke (item 2, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359013&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation,%20FAA%20Inspector%20Bradley%20Behnke-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Conversation, Daniel Wright (item 3, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359014&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation,%20Daniel%20Wright-Master.PDF
- Weather Reports (item 4, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359015&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports-Master.PDF

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.

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