# NTSB CHI02LA040: Lyon Horizon 1, N565LL, Richland, MO, November 18, 2001

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: November 18, 2001, 16:49 local (22:49 UTC)
- Place: Richland, MO
- Coordinates: 37.860542, -92.390373 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8605&lon=-92.3904&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - St. Louis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 53843
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI02LA040
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53843/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI02LA040

## Probable cause

The pilot not attaining altitude/clearance from the tree line during the aborted landing.  Factors to the accident were the pilot selecting to operate the airplane on the rough/uneven runway, the pilot's lack of total experience in the airplane, and the tree line.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with object, landing - aborted
  - aborted landing - attempted, pilot in command
  - object - tree(s) (contributing factor)
  - altitude/clearance - not attained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The airplane impacted a tree line while attempting an aborted landing.  The pilot reported he encountered rough/uneven runway conditions during the taxi tests and unintentionally became airborne.  The pilot stated he attempted three landings.  On the third landing attempt he elected to abort the landing due to the rough/uneven runway condition.  During the aborted landing the aircraft impacted a tree line. The pilot had no flight experience in the accident airplane prior to the accident flight.  The pilot's last medical examination was on March 24, 1994.  The FAA Airport/Facility Directory states the condition of the runway as being, "broken [asphalt] potholes with loose aggregate and grass growing in cracks."

## Factual narrative

On November 18, 2001, at 1649 central standard time, a Lyon Horizon 1, N565LL, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision trees and terrain while attempting an aborted landing from runway 14 (3,000 feet by 49 feet, dry/asphalt) at the Richland Municipal Airport (MO1), Richland, Missouri.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.  The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan.  The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries.  The flight departed MO1 about 1645 and at the time of the accident was attempting to land at the same airport.

According to the pilot's written statement, he only intended to ground taxi the airplane so that he could evaluate the ground handling characteristics of the airplane.  The pilot stated, "When I attempted to taxi the aircraft down the runway, I encountered several bad spots in the runway that caused my plane to turn to the left and then to the right in a S-type fashion.  My ground speed I estimate it to be between 25 and 30 miles an hour.  I tried to correct the airplane when it veered off the runway to the right and on to the grass.  I applied throttle to get back on the runway as I could see the marker lights just in front of me.  When I applied throttle the wind got under my left wing and lifted me up into the air.  I determined that I must fly the aircraft or stall and risk a nose dive into the runway.  I applied full throttle and maintained a go around.  I attempted to land the aircraft after a go around and after encountering bad spots on the runway again I could not keep the airplane under good directional control.  On the third attempt to get the aircraft on the ground I slowed the aircraft down in an attempt to stop.  As I was slowing down again I hit something on the runway that put me back in the grass to the right of the runway.  [Again] I attempted to get back on the runway and straighten out the aircraft and this time the wind picked up the left wing again I attempted to regain control.  With the wind under the left wing and the throttle position set to attempt another go around combined with a close to stall speed the aircraft continued to approach the tree line until the right wing clipped the top of a cedar tree and cart wheeled to the ground."

According to an incident report provided by the Richland Police Department, the pilot had recently purchased the airplane and had not flown the airplane until the accident flight.  The report stated, "He [the pilot] stated he had unintentionally flown the plane when he was piloting the aircraft on the runway and due to a combination of the bumpy runway and the strong wind his aircraft was lifted from the ground by the wind."  The reported continued, "[the pilot] stated he then gave the aircraft full throttle so that he would not crash on the runway and then he flew [the airplane] around a couple times attempting to land it.  He stated on the third attempt to land the wind forced his plane towards the ground.  He stated he attempted to control the plane by giving the engine full throttle and attempting to steer, but the plane crashed into the woods."  According to the report, the aircraft was found resting on its nose, approximately 99 feet from the end of runway 14.  The report stated that the aircraft was located in a tree line, to the right of the runway, orientated on a northerly heading.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot's last medical examination was conducted on March 24, 1994, and he was issued a third-class medical certificate.

The FAA Airport/Facility Directory states the condition of runway 14-32 as being, "broken [asphalt] potholes with loose aggregate and grass growing in cracks."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N565LL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N565LL-2013-04-29), registration cancelled 2013-04-29, S/N H057, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Lyon Horizon 1
- Registry model: [Lyon Larry R HORIZON 1](https://openairdocs.org/model/lyon-larry-r-horizon-1) (registry code 05623TW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: H057
- Airframe hours: 8
- Engines: Rotax 532 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: John H. Wolf
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, March 17, 1998, 0 hours before
- Departed: MO1, Richland, MO
- Destination: MO1, Richland, MO
- Airport: MO1, Richland Municipal Airport, runway 14, 3,000 × 49 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, expired; seat: rear; flight hours: 122 total

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: TBN, 15 nm away

## 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 20011118038279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011118038279A), Nov 18, 2001: Amtr HORIZON1, Richland, MO, No damage. (-23) Owner states that he took the newly-purchased aircraft to the airport to do taxi and ground runs. He stated that he had no intention of flying the…

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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