- Date
- November 20, 2009, 18:25 local (23:25 UTC)
- Place
- Ashland, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N319UACostruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 Bravo
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091120051799A
- Case key
- 75115
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 adequate clearance from trees during the landing approach.
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
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings at night, and due to the obstructions below, the pilot flew the approaches at a “steep” angle. He had successfully completed about nine uneventful approaches and landings before the accident approach. During the accident approach the pilot noted some light turbulence and the airplane began to descend below the “normal” glide path. He added power and arrested the descent, but the airplane struck some trees. He noted that the airspeed or the pitch of the airplane did not change when the airplane struck trees. He made an uneventful landing, but during the post-flight inspection he noticed substantial damage to the leading edges of the wings and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were calm.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoff and landing at night, and due to the obstructions below, the pilot flew the approaches at a “steep” angle. He had successfully completed about nine uneventful approaches and landings before the accident approach. During the accident approach the pilot noted some light turbulence and the airplane began to descend below the “normal” glide path. He added power and arrested the descent, but the airplane struck some trees. He noted that the airspeed or the pitch of the airplane did not change when the airplane struck trees. He made an uneventful landing, but during the post-flight inspection noticed substantial damage to the leading edges of the wings and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N319UA
- Reported as
- Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 Bravo
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 126
- Airframe hours
- 350
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Heart of Virginia Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Mid-Atlantic Air Ventures Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 28, 2009 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- KOFP · Ashland, VA
- Destination
- KOFP · Ashland, VA
- Airport
- KOFP · Hanover County Municipal
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
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 12, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,328 total · 6 in this make and model · 1,187 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KOFP
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 4, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 650 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.