- Date
- March 9, 2013, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Camden, SC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N78DKRainbow Aircraft PTY Cobra
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130309004019A
- Case key
- 86393
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 airplane control during the approach to land.
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
The pilot/owner of the experimental weight-shift airplane said he confirmed that the wind was calm before taking off for a flight around the traffic pattern. He said the airplane encountered updrafts and downdrafts on the downwind and base legs of the traffic pattern, and he could not control the altitude of the airplane with either control or power inputs. The pilot said that when he was on final approach, about 400 feet above ground level, he "saw the airplane nose going down at a 45-degree angle and then the hit." The airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. The wind speed reported at the airport at the time of the accident was 3 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with his airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot/owner of the experimental weight-shift airplane said he confirmed that the winds were calm prior to takeoff for a flight around the traffic pattern. He said the airplane encountered updrafts and downdrafts on the downwind and base legs of the traffic pattern, and he could not control the altitude of the airplane with either control or power inputs. While on final approach, about 400 feet above ground level, the pilot "saw the airplane nose going down at a 45-degree angle and then the hit." The wind speed reported at the airport at the time of the accident was 3 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with his airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78DK
- Reported as
- Rainbow Aircraft PTY Cobra
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- C-078
- Airframe hours
- 34
- Engine
- Rotax 503 DCDI, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donald J. Sills
- Registered owner
- Donald J. Sills
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 26, 2012
- Departed
- CDN · Camden, SC
- Destination
- CDN · Camden, SC
- Airport
- CDN · Woodward Field, runway 06, 5,000 × 100 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 999,999 total · 69 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- CDN
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.6 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.