# NTSB CEN12LA538: Cantlon Starduster Too SA300, N111LC, Galion, OH, August 7, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 7, 2012, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC) - Place: Galion, OH - Coordinates: 40.753334, -83.723892 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7533&lon=-83.7239&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 13, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 84649 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA538 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84649/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84649 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA538 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and a proper pitch attitude and airspeed while performing an aborted landing. ## 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: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8660161), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot lost directional control during the landing roll and attempted to abort the landing. However, the airplane would not climb and was flying slower than the pilot thought it should be flying, and the airplane was headed toward the airport hangars south of the runway. The pilot reduced the airplane pitch attitude in order to increase airspeed and turned left to avoid the hangars. The airplane stalled as the pilot attempted to climb the airplane over a power line that was along the flight path. During the aborted landing, the pilot did not fly over the remaining runway, which would have provided obstruction clearance to a safe altitude. Also, flight at slow or near stall speed provides a high drag condition, which results in reduced climb performance. ## Factual narrative On August 7, 2012, at 1945 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Starduster Too SA300, N111LC, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during climbout from an aborted landing at Galion Municipal Airport (GQQ), Galion, Ohio. The pilot, the only person on board, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the local flight that departed GQQ. The pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to run the engine and to practice landings. During an approach to GQQ, the descent to runway 23 (3,504 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) was "a little fast" and he added "a little power" on short final. After the airplane touched down with "some" crab angle, it turned "sharply" to the left. He applied engine power to execute an aborted landing during which the airplane was flying "slower" than he thought, and it would not climb. When the pilot lowered the nose to gain speed, he saw that the airplane was heading further south than he thought and was heading for the airport hangars. He turned the airplane left to avoid the hangars, but it was headed for a power line. He said that he used the remaining airspeed to climb over the power line, but the airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid for about 100 feet on grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction/failure with the airplane at the time of the accident. The pilot was issued a third class airman medical certificate dated June 9, 2010, with the following limitation: "Not valid for any class after 6/30/2012." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N111LC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N111LC), registered now, S/N WJC1, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cantlon Starduster Too SA300 - Registry model: [Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300](https://openairdocs.org/model/cantlon-starduster-too-sa300) (registry code 8660161) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540-C4B5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-c4b5) (registry code 41651, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: WJC1 - Airframe hours: 281 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-C1A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Pilot - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 14, 2012 - Departed: Galion, OH - Destination: Galion, OH - Airport: GQQ, Galion Municipal Airport, runway 23, 3,504 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 25, 2012; seat: rear; flight hours: 110 total, 4 in this make and model, 53 as pilot in command, 5 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 220° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: MFD, 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 20120807015869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120807015869A), Aug 7, 2012: Cantlon STARDUSTER TOO SA300, Galion, OH, Substantial damage. While attempting to land the a/c began to ground loop. Pilot attempted to avoid situation but was heads down in cockpit too long and lost orientation. Upon… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 22, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84649. 525 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 525 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390273&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.