- Date
- September 20, 2009, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wheeling, WV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N46068Aeromot AMT200
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090920018189A
- Case key
- 74792
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 directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to properly secure the canopy latch which resulted in an in-flight canopy opening.
Findings · 4
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
According to the pilot, he had just leveled off the motor glider after an initial climb when the left canopy latch loosened and the canopy raised up about 2 inches. With wind blowing into the cockpit area, the pilot returned to the departure airport and made a straight-in approach, landing left of runway centerline. The motor glider subsequently veered to the left during the landing rollout and groundlooped, striking runway signage and lighting, and substantially damaging the composite left wing. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the motor glider, and the canopy latch system functioned normally. The pilot, who reported 39 hours in make and model, also noted "vision problems with airflow into cockpit" during the approach and landing. Winds, recorded at the airport about the time of the accident, were variable, between 3 and 6 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he had just leveled off the motor glider after an initial climb when the left canopy latch loosened and the canopy raised up about 2 inches. With wind blowing into the cockpit area, the pilot returned to the departure airport and made a straight-in approach, landing left of runway centerline. The motor glider subsequently veered to the left during the landing rollout and groundlooped, striking runway signage and lighting, and putting a hole in the composite left wing. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies noted with the motor glider, and the canopy latch system functioned normally. The pilot, who reported 39 hours in make and model, also noted "vision problems with airflow into cockpit" during the approach and landing. Winds, recorded at the airport about the time of the accident, were variable, between 3 and 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46068
- Reported as
- Aeromot AMT200 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 200.159
- Airframe hours
- 85
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David Shaeffer
- Registered owner
- David Shaeffer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 13, 2008 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- HLG · Wheeling, WV
- Destination
- HLG · Wheeling, WV
- Airport
- HLG · Wheeling Ohio County Airport, runway 03, 5,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 80
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- July 15, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 990 total · 40 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KHLG
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 631 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.