- Date
- December 13, 2008, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Weirdales, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N212DKKimball Enterprises Pitts Model-12
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081213853749A
- Case key
- 69578
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 compensation for the wind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
Findings · 3
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 of the homebuilt airplane stated that he overflew the airport from the east and observed that the windsock was indicating a 90-degree crosswind of 15-20 knots for the airport's runway, designated 36/18. The pilot elected to land on runway 36 and entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot reported inputting a "significant" amount of slip to maintain centerline during final approach and flare. The airplane touched down on the right main landing gear first and then bounced off the grass strip. During the bounce, the crosswind forced the airplane toward the left, off the runway, and into a fence where the left wingtip struck a fence post. The airplane yawed, the wing hit the ground, and the airplane cart-wheeled, coming to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the homebuilt Pitts Model 12 airplane stated that he overflew the airport from the east and observed the windsock was indicating a 90-degree crosswind for the airport's runway, designated 36/18. The pilot elected to land on runway 36 and entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. The pilot reported inputting a "significant" amount of slip to maintain centerline during final approach and flare. The airplane touched down on the right main landing gear first and then bounced off the grass strip. During the bounce, the crosswind forced the airplane toward the left, off the runway, and into a fence where the left wingtip struck a fence post. The airplane yawed; the wing hit the ground, and the airplane cart-wheeled," coming to rest inverted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N212DK
- Reported as
- Kimball Enterprises Pitts Model-12
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1002
- Airframe hours
- 265
- Engine
- Vedenyev M14-P, 360 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 2, 2008
- Departed
- VDF · Tampa, FL
- Destination
- 2FD1 · Weirdales, FL
- Airport
- 2FD1 · Hobby Hill STOLport, runway 36, 1,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 2,303 total · 35 in this make and model · 2,201 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- VVG, 4 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.