- Date
- June 6, 2020, 19:00 local (Jun 7, 2020, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bristol, WI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N88ZTAirborne XT912
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- 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
- FAA report
- 20200607010189A
- Case key
- 101402
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 incorrect flight control input during the landing flare, which resulted in an impact with the ground.
Findings · 2
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 experienced fixed-wing pilot, who had 16 flight hours in weight-shift-control aircraft, stated he was conducting touch-and-go landings during his first solo flight in the weight-shift aircraft when a sink rate developed in the landing flare. He said negative inference occurred from his fixed wing experience and he pulled back on the control tube instead of pushing forward. The aircraft nosed into the runway, substantially damaging both wing spars. The pilot stated there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N88ZT
- Reported as
- Airborne XT912
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- XT-15
- Built
- 2003
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 2019
- Departed
- WI58 · Bristol, WI
- Destination
- WI58 · Bristol, WI
- Airport
- WI58 · Winfield, runway 36, 2,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 24,410 total · 16 in this make and model · 14,733 as pilot in command · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.