# NTSB DEN08LA031: Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus, N617EV, Erie, CO, November 15, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 15, 2007, 11:25 local (18:25 UTC) - Place: Erie, CO - Coordinates: 40.009998, -105.047775 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0100&lon=-105.0478&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 67097 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08LA031 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67097/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA031 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing factors were the delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision by the flight instructor, and the ditch. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Analysis During the final approach for a full stop landing, the airplane was configured to an airspeed of 60 knots and a flap setting of 15 degrees. The instructor reported, "The airplane was flared and touched down on the main wheels then the nose wheel was lowered at approximately A2 taxiway slightly right of centerline. I instructed the student that we would continue to roll-out and decelerate to the end of the runway to avoid using too much brake or rudder pressure due to their extreme sensitivity. I then instructed the student to apply light rudder pressure to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline. Ample left rudder pressure was applied and countered with opposite right rudder pressure resulting in pilot induced oscillations. The aircraft swerved dramatically from left to right and then again to the left and right where it exited the runway surface. The plane came to a stop in a drainage ditch on the right side of runway 33 and slightly north of the closed runway." During the traffic pattern and landing, the flight instructor and student were both on the airplane controls. The winds were reported as calm during the accident. The flight training supplement for the accident airplane instructs pilots not to apply main wheel brakes unintentionally when taxiing. The flight training supplement also states that aircraft steering at higher speeds is more sensitive, therefore smaller deflections of the rudder control pedals are required to maintain directional control. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose gear was bent aft and the firewall was buckled. ## Factual narrative On November 15, 2007, at 1125 mountain standard time, an Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus single-engine special light-sport airplane, N617EV, sustained substantial damage following a loss of control during landing at the Erie Municipal Airport (EIK), Erie, Colorado. The flight instructor and student sport pilot were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Skyraider Aviation Inc., Erie, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The local flight departed EIK at 1045. According to the flight instructor, the airplane's preflight and local flight to the practice area were normal and no anomalies were noted. During the final approach for a full stop landing, the airplane was configured to an airspeed of 60 knots and a flap setting of 15 degrees. The instructor reported, "The airplane was flared and touched down on the main wheels then the nose wheel was lowered at approximately A2 taxiway slightly right of [runway] centerline. I instructed the student that we would continue to roll-out and decelerate to the end of the runway to avoid using to much brake or rudder pressure due to their extreme sensitivity. I then instructed the student to apply light rudder pressure to realign the aircraft with the runway centerline. Ample left rudder pressure was applied and countered with opposite right rudder pressure resulting in pilot induced oscillations. The aircraft swerved dramatically from left to right and then again to the left and right where it exited the runway surface. The plane came to a stop in a drainage ditch on the right side of runway 33 and slightly north of the closed runway." During the traffic pattern and landing, the flight instructor and student were "both on the airplane controls." The winds were reported as calm during the accident. According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the operator, at the time of the accident, the flight instructor had accumulated 81 flight hours in the accident airplane make and model. According to the manufacturer, the Sportstar is a light sport aircraft built by Evektor-Aerotechnik, a certified aircraft manufacturer from the country of the Czech Republic. It is configured with a 2-seat side-by-side arrangement and dual flight controls. The airplane is fitted with a tricycle landing gear with a steerable nose wheel controlled by push-pull rods connected to the ruder pedals. The main landing gear wheels are equipped with hydraulic brakes operated by the toe brake pedals attached to the tops of the rudder pedals. Directional control can be maintained by means of the steerable nose wheel, by using differential pressure on the main landing gear brakes, or by a combination of both methods. The flight training supplement for the Sportstar, published by the aircraft manufacturer, instructs pilots not to apply main wheel brakes unintentionally when taxiing. The flight training supplement also states that aircraft steering at higher speeds is more sensitive, therefore smaller deflections of the rudder control pedals are required to maintain directional control. Examination of the airplane by the NTSB investigator-in-charge revealed the nose gear was bent aft and the firewall was buckled. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N617EV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N617EV-2018-05-30), registration cancelled 2018-05-30, S/N 2007 1001, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus - Registry model: [Evektor-Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR PLUS](https://openairdocs.org/model/evektor-aerotechnik-sportstar-plus) (registry code 060004N) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2007 1001 - Airframe hours: 33 - Engines: Rotax 912 ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Skyraider Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2007, 5 hours before - Departed: EIK - Destination: EIK - Airport: EIK, Erie Municipal Airport, runway 33, 4,700 × 60 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 34; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2007; seat: right; flight hours: 717 total, 81 in this make and model, 626 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 63; injuries: none; student; seat: left; flight hours: 4 total, 1 in this make and model, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20071115828959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071115828959A), Nov 15, 2007: Amtr SPORTSTAR, Erie, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On November 15, 2007 at approximately 11:25 MDT, N617EV, an evektor/sport star experienced oscillations and veered off the runway, at Erie, CO airport… ## Other investigations on N617EV (1) 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. - [NTSB CEN12CA370](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA370), Jun 14, 2012: Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus (N617EV), Erie, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper performance of a soft field takeoff procedure, which resulted in a loss of airplane control, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to correct the situation. 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.