- Date
- February 12, 2012, 17:52 local (22:52 UTC)
- Place
- Hilton Head, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4851WRockwell International 114
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120212001469A
- Case key
- 82881
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 of the airplane while landing with a 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 stated that there was a crosswind from the left of about 9 knots during the landing. After touchdown, the airplane swerved to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane traveled over a grass median between the runway and a taxiway and the airplane's nosewheel separated as it traveled over a dip in the median. The airplane came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the airport was surrounded by trees and that it was not uncommon to experience dramatically changing wind conditions near the runway. A postaccident examination revealed skid marks on the runway leading to the grass median, but the pilot could not recall whether he applied brakes during the accident sequence. An examination of the brake system revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that there was a crosswind from the left at approximately 9 knots during the landing. After touchdown, the airplane swerved to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane traveled over a grassy median between the runway and a taxiway, and the airplane's nosewheel separated as it traveled over a "dip" in the median. The airplane came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the airport was surrounded by trees and it was not uncommon to experience "dramatically changing wind conditions" near the runway. During a postaccident examination of the airplane and runway, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector observed skid marks on the runway leading to the grass median, but the pilot could not recall whether he applied brakes during the accident sequence. An examination of the brake system revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4851W
- Reported as
- Rockwell International 114
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 14181
- Airframe hours
- 3,255
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540 SER, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Commander 114 Corp
- Registered owner
- Commander 114 Corp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2012
- Departed
- LZU · Lawrenceville, GA
- Destination
- HXD · Hilton Head, SC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- HXD · Hilton Head Island Airport, runway 21, 4,300 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 26, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 610 total · 239 in this make and model · 529 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- HXD
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 955 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.