- Date
- September 24, 2008, 19:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Delaware, OH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N63DHFlight Design Ctsw
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Columbus FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080924851509A
- Case key
- 69042
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 directional control during landing.
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 student pilot was conducting takeoffs and landings on a solo flight when the accident occurred. He had successfully completed one landing. After touchdown on the second landing, the airplane began to oscillate from side to side. The student pilot's efforts to regain directional control were not successful. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, and the right wing tip subsequently struck the ground. The nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest nose down in the grass adjacent to the runway. A postaccident inspection of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies associated with a preimpact failure.
Factual narrative
On September 24, 2008, about 1900 eastern daylight time, a Flight Design GmbH CTSW light sport airplane, N63DH, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged during landing on runway 10 (5,000 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) at the Delaware Municipal Airport (DLZ), Delaware, Ohio. The solo instructional flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The student pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight departed DLZ about 1845. The student pilot reported that after touchdown on the second landing of the solo flight, the airplane began to drift from side to side. He attempted to regain directional control; however, as the airplane drifted toward the left, the right wing tip contacted the ground. The airplane subsequently departed the pavement and nosed down in the grass adjacent to the runway. The student's flight instructor reported that he witnessed the accident. He noted that the second landing appeared to be smooth. However, shortly after touchdown the airplane drifted to the left. The pilot appeared to recover, but then the nose began to oscillate from side to side. The oscillations subsequently became larger. He heard the engine pitch increase and saw the airplane accelerate. The airplane subsequently departed the runway pavement and rolled to the left. The left wing tip appeared to touch the ground. He recalled that the engine pitch increased again to what sounded like full power. The airplane yawed left and the right main landing gear appeared to dig into the ground, causing the right wing tip to strike the ground. The nose landing gear subsequently collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose down in the grass. The student pilot exited the airplane under his own power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63DH
- Reported as
- Flight Design Ctsw
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 07-06-20
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Flying Pig Express LLC
- Registered owner
- Flying Pig Express LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed
- DLZ · Delaware, OH
- Destination
- DLZ · Delaware, OH
- Airport
- DLZ · Delaware Municipal, runway 10, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- April 14, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 42 total · 10 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- DLZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.