# NTSB CEN24LA359: Pipistrel Italia S R L Virus SW, N202MM, Boulder, CO, September 19, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 19, 2024, 19:35 UTC
- Place: Boulder, CO
- Coordinates: 40.039365, -105.22609
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0394&lon=-105.2261&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- 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): 195148
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA359
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195148/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195148
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA359

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a nose down attitude and subsequent porpoised landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=06001C7), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=06001C7), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=06001C7), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=06001C7), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane likely touched down on the nose landing gear first. The pilot stated that the airplane pitched upward immediately after touchdown, followed by episodes of increasing variation in pitch, then a sudden downward pitch, and the collapse of the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the runway and sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N202MM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N202MM), registered now, S/N 1110 SWN 100 IS LSA, built 2023 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPISTREL ITALIA S R L VIRUS SW
- Registry model: [Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW](https://openairdocs.org/model/pipistrel-italia-s-r-l-virus-sw) (registry code 06001C7) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912 IS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-is-series) (registry code 55593, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1110 SWN 100 IS LSA
- Year built: 2023
- Airframe hours: 164
- Engines: Rotax Aircraft Engines 912 iS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Journeys Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 25, 2024, 70 hours before
- Departed: KAEJ, Buena Vista, CO
- Destination: KBDU, Boulder, CO
- Airport: KBDU, Boulder Municipal Airport, runway 8, 4,100 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 435 total, 6 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observed at: KBDU, 1 nm away
- METAR: METAR KBDU 191935Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/M02 A3001 RMK AO2=

## 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 20240919015079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240919015079A), Sep 19, 2024: Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, Boulder, CO, Substantial damage. On September 19, 2024 at approximately 1330 MDT the aircraft suffered a hard landing and the pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft which resulted in…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195148. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17744364&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA359_6120-1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 725 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17746486&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA359%20-%20Photo%20Summary-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.

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