- Date
- March 28, 2009, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Milton, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N320JParks Jerry R Lancair
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090328005819A
- Case key
- 73565
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 failure to maintain aircraft control during landing.
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
Following a local flight, the pilot attempted to land on runway 18. The pilot reported that, approximately 10 feet above the runway, a gust of wind caused the right wing to rise "about 30 degrees from level." Even though the pilot added power, "and put the ailerons and rudder full right," the airplane "did not respond" and veered to the left. The airplane impacted the ground to the left of the runway, substantially damaging the wings, tail, fuselage, and engine. The pilot sustained minor injury. The airport had an automated surface observing system (ASOS); however, it did not have the ability to record weather observations. The pilot stated that the ASOS reported "windshear" before his departure and that the winds were from 210 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The reported weather at nearby airports included gusty winds from the southwest, between 9 and 24 knots, before and after the accident. One of these airports reported a peak wind of 28 knots from 240 degrees approximately 4 minutes after the accident. The pilot reported that the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane stated that the maximum demonstrated crosswind was "20 knots."
Factual narrative
Following a local, 30 minute, flight, the certificated private pilot attempted to land on runway 18. The pilot reported that approximately 10 feet above the runway, a gust of wind caused the right wing to rise "about 30 degrees from level." Even though the pilot added power, "and put the ailerons and rudder full right," the airplane "did not respond" and veered to the left. The airplane impacted the ground to the left of the runway, substantially damaging the wings, tail, fuselage, and engine. The pilot sustained minor injury. The airport had an automated surface observing system (ASOS); however, it did not have the ability to record weather observations. The pilot stated that the ASOS reported "windshear" before his departure and that the winds were from 210 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The reported weather at nearby airports included gusty winds from the southwest, between 9 and 24 knots, before and after the accident. One of these airports reported a peak wind of 28 knots from 240 degrees approximately 4 minutes after the accident. The pilot reported that the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane stated that the maximum demonstrated crosswind was "20 knots."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N320J
- Reported as
- Parks Jerry R Lancair (235/320)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JP1987
- Airframe hours
- 1,723
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 11, 2008
- Departed
- 2R4 · Milton, FL
- Destination
- 2R4 · Milton, FL
- Airport
- 2R4 · Peter Prince Field Airport, runway 18, 3,701 × 75 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
- 79
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 5, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,723 total · 588 in this make and model · 1,526 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 242° at 28 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NSE, 5 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.