- Date
- February 8, 2010, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Merritt Island, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N286JLClopton Aero Aerocomp Compair 7SL
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 17, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100208028229A
- Case key
- 75379
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 control of the airplane during landing.
Findings · 2
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 of the experimental, amateur-built, turboprop airplane, the airplane was configured for landing while on the downwind and base legs for runway 29. During the final approach segment, the airplane was aligned with the runway centerline and airspeed and power were stabilized. At the approach end of the runway, the airplane suddenly dropped, resulting in a hard bounce. Corrections were made and on the second bounce, power was added for a go-around procedure. The engine did not respond to the thrust lever input. The continued bouncing resulted in a loss of directional control and the airplane exited the runway to the left. According to the owner/pilot-rated-passenger, the pilot turned downwind and at base leg, was exceeding the recommended approach speed by 20 knots. Upon turn to final they were approaching the runway “hot.” Airspeed was 80 plus knots and the stall speed for the airplane was 68 to 70 knots. The airplane bounced hard and a go-around was attempted, but was unsuccessful because the turbine spooling was too slow. The airplane exited the runway to the center median with another hard bounce, then with the ensuing crash. The pilot reported that she had accumulated a total time of 15,000 hours; of which, 3.5 hours were in the accident airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the experimental, amateur-built, turboprop airplane, the airplane was configured for landing while on the downwind and base legs for runway 29. During the final approach segment, the airplane was aligned with the runway centerline and airspeed and power were stabilized. At the approach end of the runway, the airplane suddenly dropped, resulting in a hard bounce. Corrections were made and on the second bounce, power was added for a go-around procedure. The engine did not respond to the thrust lever input. The continued bouncing resulted in a loss of directional control and the airplane exited the runway to the left. According to the owner/pilot-rated-passenger, the pilot turned downwind and at base leg, was exceeding the recommended approach speed by 20 knots. Upon turn to final they were approaching the runway “hot.” Airspeed was 80 plus knots and the stall speed for the airplane was 68 to 70 knots. The airplane bounced hard and a go-around was attempted, but was unsuccessful because the turbine spooling was too slow. The airplane exited the runway to the center median with another hard bounce, then with the ensuing crash. The pilot reported on that she had accumulated a total time of 15,000 hours; of which, 3.5 hours were in the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N286JL
- Reported as
- Clopton Aero Aerocomp Compair 7SL
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 057222
- Airframe hours
- 100
- Engine
- Walter 601D, 724 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 31, 2009 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- TLH · Tallalhassee, FL
- Destination
- COI · Merritt Island, FL
- Airport
- COI · Merritt Island Airport, runway 29, 3,601 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 4, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 4 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 188 total · 49 in this make and model · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- COF, 3 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.8 MB 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.
Other investigations on N286JL · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.