- Date
- November 28, 2008, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tampa, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N505EXExtra Flugzeugbau EA 300/L
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081128856799A
- Case key
- 69510
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 pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with an object.
Findings · 1
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 pilot stated that while on approach to final, and as he prepared to touchdown, he saw a sailboat that did not have its sail raised. Consequently, he did not see the sail mast. The right wing tip struck the mast and shattered. The pilot added power in an attempt to level out the airplane, but it collided with the ground. The pilot said that he did not observe any abnormalities with the airplane or the engine during his approach. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane's right wing struck the sailboat approximately 8 feet below the top of the sail mast. Witnesses to the accident reported that the sailboat was operating approximately 50 yards from the seawall when the accident occurred. They said that the airplane attempted to curve around the sailboat but as the right wing dipped it hit the mast.
Factual narrative
The pilot of an Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH EA 300/L stated that while on approach to final, and as he prepared to touchdown, he saw a sailboat, which did not have its sail raised. Consequently, he did not see the sail mast. The right wing tip struck the mast and shattered. The pilot added power in an attempt to level out the airplane, but it collided with the ground. The pilot said that he did not observe any abnormalities with the airplane or the engine during his approach. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane’s right wing struck the sailboat approximately 8 feet below the top of the sail mast. Witnesses to the accident reported that the sailboat was operating approximately 50 yards from the seawall when the accident occurred. They said that the airplane attempted to curve around the sailboat but as the right wing dipped it hit the mast.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N505EX
- Reported as
- Extra Flugzeugbau EA 300/L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1211
- Airframe hours
- 223
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tampa Aircraft Holding Inc.
- Registered owner
- Tampa Aircraft Holding Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2008 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- TPF · Tampa, FL
- Destination
- TPF · Tampa, FL
- Airport
- TPF · Peter O Knight, runway 21, 3,405 × 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 17, 2007
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 4,688 total · 155 in this make and model · 4,685 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- TPF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.