- Date
- May 25, 2012, 12:18 local (16:18 UTC)
- Place
- Titusville, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N126SRSmith Allen Storch
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120525008269A
- Case key
- 83790
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 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
According to the pilot, he was performing the sixth or seventh touch-and-go landing of the day. The windsock indicated a slight crosswind from the left just before touchdown, but, upon landing, a "very strong gust from the right" lifted the wing and pushed the airplane to the left. The pilot responded with adjustments in engine power, rudder, and aileron, but he was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane dragged a wing, ground looped, and the landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no deficiencies in the performance and handling of his airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was performing the 6th or 7th touch-and-go landing of the day. The windsock indicated a slight crosswind from the left just prior to touchdown, but upon landing, a "very strong gust from the right" lifted the wing and pushed the airplane to the left. The pilot responded with adjustments in engine power, rudder, and aileron, but he was unable to maintain directional control. The airplane dragged a wing, ground looped, and the landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing and fuselage. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no deficiencies in the performance and handling of his airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N126SR
- Reported as
- Smith Allen Storch
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 125SR
- Airframe hours
- 63
- Engine
- Mattituck IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 3, 2012
- Departed
- X21 · Titusville, FL
- Destination
- X21 · Titusville, FL
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- X21 · Arthur Dunn Air Park, runway 04, 1,805 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 110 total · 15 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- KTIX, 7 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.