- Date
- January 7, 2024, 11:18 local (17:18 UTC)
- Place
- Buffalo, MO · Airstrip
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8704RSlipStream International Genesis
- Defining event
- Landing: 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
- Federal Aviation Administration - Kansas City FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240107004489A
- Case key
- 193625
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the crosswind landing, which resulted in the airplane drifting off the left side of the runway and into trees.
Findings · 5
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 student pilot was conducting a solo flight when he was unable to keep the airplane aligned with the runway centerline due to a right crosswind. Witnesses reported that the airplane veered left of the runway and struck trees before it came to rest in a grass area. After the accident, the student pilot stated that he had difficulty with the right crosswind and believed the airplane had an aileron issue. The student pilot stated that the airplane’s left wing collided with the trees with the engine at full power. The airplane’s left wing and forward fuselage were substantially damaged during the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies or failures that would have prevented its normal operation. Flight control continuity for the ailerons, elevator, and rudder was confirmed. It is likely the student pilot did not maintain control of the airplane during the crosswind landing, which resulted in the airplane drifting off the left side of the runway and into trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8704R
- Reported as
- SlipStream International Genesis
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- RH-01
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 88.4
- Engine
- Verner Motor VM 133M, 84 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- GS Flying Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- M17 · Bolivar, MO
- Destination
- H17 · Buffalo, MO
- Airport
- H17 · Buffalo Municipal Airport, runway 22, 3,220 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 69
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.08 inHg
- Observed at
- LBO, 21 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KLBO 071715Z AUTO 28007KT 10SM CLR 02/M03 A3008 RMK AO2=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 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.