# NTSB CEN19LA241: Stoddard-Hamilton GlaStar, N98PW, Mitchell, SD, July 26, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 26, 2019, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC) - Place: Mitchell, SD - Coordinates: 43.774723, -98.038612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7747&lon=-98.0386&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: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 99946 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN19LA241 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99946/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99946 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA241 ## Probable cause A loss of directional control on landing for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Wass Richard J GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05605YU), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Wass Richard J GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05605YU), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: [Wass Richard J GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05605YU), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he departed on a multileg cross-country flight with several planned refueling stops. He had no difficulty landing at the first stop. During the landing at the second stop, the airplane veered hard to the right. The pilot applied left rudder but was unable to turn the airplane back toward the runway. He applied full throttle in an attempt to go around. The airplane continued through the grass and struck a berm, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. A mechanic later examined the airplane and reported that the brake functioned normally and that the right tire showed no evidence of a flat spot or skid marks on the tire tread. The pilot said he did not believe the right wheel had "locked up" but rather that the right brake had become stuck and would not release. Investigators were not able to determine why the airplane veered on landing. ## Factual narrative On July 26, 2019, about 1330 central daylight time, a Waas Stoddard-Hamilton GlaStar, N98PW was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway while landing at Mitchell Municipal Airport (MHE), Mitchell, South Dakota. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal cross-country flight. The flight originated from Wittman Regional Airport (OSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin, about 0800, then Rochester (RST), Minnesota, about 1100, and was en route to MHE. According to the pilot's accident report, he departed OSH, he was en route to St. James (JYG), Minnesota, but elected to divert to RST, due to the high headwinds west of Oshkosh. The pilot had no trouble in landing at RST. After refueling and checking the weather, the pilot took off en route to MHE, his next refueling stop. About 30 miles east of MHE, the pilot monitored its Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) broadcast, which was reporting calm winds. As he got closer to MHE, ASOS reported variable winds. He decided to land on runway 18. Immediately upon touch down, the airplane veered hard to the right. The pilot applied left rudder but was unable to turn the airplane back towards the runway. He applied full throttle in an attempt to go around. The airplane continued through the grass and struck a berm. The pilot reported the right landing gear had collapsed and was bent under the cowling and fuselage. The right wing was buckled, and the fibreglass fuselage was cracked and torn open. The chrome moly steel cage was broken in two places, and three tubes were bent. The left wing tip and horizontal stabilizer was also damaged by impact. Federal Aviation Administration inspector assigned to the case requested that an airport mechanic examine right brake. The mechanic reported that the brake functioned normally, and that the right tire showed no evidence of a flat spot or skid marks on the tire tread. The pilot said he did not believe the right wheel had "locked up," but rather that the right brake had become stuck and would not release. The pilot had attended the EAA AirVenture 2019 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and the airplane had been parked in wet grass for several days. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N98PW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N98PW-2021-10-09), registration cancelled 2021-10-09, S/N 5204 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Stoddard-Hamilton GlaStar - Registry model: [Wass Richard J GLASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/wass-richard-j-glastar) (registry code 05605YU) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 5204 - Airframe hours: 559 - Engines: Continental O-320-DIF 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 11, 2019, 34 hours before - Departed: RST, Rochester, MN - Destination: RST, Rochester, MN - Airport: MHE, Mitchell Municipal, runway 18, 5,513 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 2, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,803 total, 119 in this make and model, 1,669 as pilot in command, 96 in the last 90 days, 49 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: MHE ## 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 20190726012629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190726012629A), Jul 26, 2019: Wass Richard J GLASTAR, Mitchell, SD, Substantial damage. On July 26, 2019, at 1:30PM CST, a (experimental amateur built) Glastar, registered to and operated by [privacy data omitted], was involved in an accident… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 30, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99946. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 370 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476338&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pertinent E-Mails from Pilot and FAA (item 2, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476339&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pertinent%20E-Mails%20from%20Pilot%20and%20FAA-Master.PDF - Report Photos (item 3, .PDF, 5 photos, 582 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476340&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20Photos-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. --- 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.