- Date
- January 26, 2020, 16:40 local (22:40 UTC)
- Place
- Greenville, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N238SHGlasair 1
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 27, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200126001859A
- Case key
- 100875
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 descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing, and his subsequent loss of airplane control during an attempted 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 flight was the pilot's initial flight in the airplane make and model. The pilot reported that, during the landing, he had no forward visibility. About 10 ft above the runway, he was unable to arrest the descent rate even with the control stick full aft. The airplane touched down hard, and the pilot added power for a go-around. He felt the airplane accelerate and attempted to maintain the airplane in a level attitude; however, the airplane began an uncommanded left roll. The pilot could not regain control of the airplane and reduced power to idle before the airplane touched down again, this time off the edge of the runway. The main landing gear dug into the soft ground, and the airplane spun around backward. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Before the flight, the pilot adjusted the linkage of the elevator to match design specifications. During the flight, he tested the stall characteristics of the airplane. Each time, the airplane stalled about 40 knots. The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident, the airplane was flying about 60 knots.
Factual narrative
The flight was the pilot's initial flight in the airplane make and model. The pilot reported that during the landing there was no forward visibility. About 10 ft above the runway, he was unable to arrest the descent rate even with the control stick full back. The airplane touched down hard and the pilot added power for a go-around. He felt the airplane accelerate and he maintained a level attitude; however, the airplane began an uncommanded left roll. The pilot could not regain control of the airplane and reduced power to idle prior to the airplane touching down a second time, this time off the edge of the runway. The main landing gear dug into the soft ground and the airplane spun around backward. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the landing.Prior to the flight, the pilot adjusted the linkage of the elevator to match design specifications. During the flight he tested the stall characteristics of the airplane. Each time, the airplane stalled around 40 knots. At the time of the accident, the pilot reported the airplane was around 60 knots. The circumstances are consistent with the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around following a hard landing. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N238SH
- Reported as
- Glasair 1 (TD)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 238
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 500
- Engine
- Eci OX-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 24, 2019
- Departed
- ADS · Dallas, TX
- Destination
- GVT · Greenville, TX
- Airport
- GVT · Majors, runway 35, 8,030 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, ADS-B, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 15, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 230 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KGVT
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 27, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 567 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.