# NTSB CEN21LA079: Hutson Star-Lite, N322SL, San Antonio, TX, December 1, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: December 1, 2020, 12:50 local (18:50 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.394882, -98.487868 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3949&lon=-98.4879&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 102388 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102388/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102388 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA079 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to land on a soft terrain which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Terrain: wet/muddy terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021035): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Hutson John G STAR-LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021035/cases.md?model=056123L), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021035/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hutson John G STAR-LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=056123L), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Hutson John G STAR-LITE, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=056123L), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the local flight and in the airport traffic pattern, he’d decided to land on the grass about 50 ft short of the asphalt runway. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear dug into the soft terrain which resulted in the failure of the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount which was considered part of the airplane primary structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N322SL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N322SL), registered now, S/N 121 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Hutson Star-Lite - Registry model: [Hutson John G STAR-LITE](https://openairdocs.org/model/hutson-john-g-star-lite) (registry code 056123L) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 121 - Year built: 2017 - Engines: Rotax 447 40 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Unknown, February 4, 2020, 20 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 8T8, San Geronimo Airpark, runway 17, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 26, 2019; seat: single; flight hours: 700 total, 1 in this make and model, 629 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 11 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: KHDO, 36 nm away - METAR: KHDO 011851Z AUTO 19011G16KT 10SM CLR 14/M06 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP196 T01441056 ## 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 20201201020519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201201020519A), Dec 1, 2020: Hutson John G STAR-LITE, San Antonio, TX, Substantial damage. PIC landed 50 feet short of the runway on turf which was soft from previous days rain. Nose gear sank in the soft soil resulting in the aircraft to flip… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102388. 419 KB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 7 pages, 236 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11784351&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 183 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11783596&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.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.