- Date
- May 23, 2020, 17:49 local (21:49 UTC)
- Place
- Midland, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9863ZPietenpol Aircamper
- Defining event
- Landing-aborted after touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20200523001909A
- Case key
- 101324
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 loss of control during an aborted landing.
Findings · 1
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 reported that the airplane "bounced twice" as he was attempting to land on the asphalt runway. He decided to execute a go-around and applied full engine power. However, the airplane "did not lift out of ground effect" and a wheel "caught the grass" causing a ground loop. The pilot noted that the accident might have been prevented by leveling off to allow the airspeed to increase before attempting to climb. He reported a variable wind at 10 knots with gusts to 15 knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the airplane "bounced twice" as he was attempting to land on the asphalt runway. He decided to execute a go-around and applied full engine power. However, the airplane "did not lift out of ground effect" and a wheel "caught the grass" causing a ground loop. The pilot noted that the accident might have been prevented by leveling off to allow the airspeed to increase before attempting to climb. He reported a variable wind at 10 knots with gusts to 15 knots. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9863Z
- Reported as
- Pietenpol Aircamper
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JW4352
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 152
- Engine
- Continental Motors A-65, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 31, 2019
- Departed
- IKW · Midland, MI
- Destination
- IKW · Midland, MI
- Airport
- IKW · Jack Barstow, runway 06, 3,801 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 30, 2018
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 152 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- IKW, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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.