- Date
- May 25, 2013, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- York, SC
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N677NCFlightstar Sportplanes Flightstar II
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA Columbia FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130525010289A
- Case key
- 86999
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 aircraft control while landing in gusty wind conditions.
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 private pilot was attempting to land an experimental airplane on a grass runway. As the airplane descended to treetop level on final approach, it encountered a sudden decrease in airspeed and a rapid rate of descent. After arresting the descent the airplane caught a gust of wind and the left wing rose almost vertically and pushed the airplane to the right. The pilot was able to correct the right roll; however, the airplane impacted a fence and continued about 10 feet before colliding with the side of a hangar resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operations, and stated that he should have attempted to land with a faster airspeed due to the gusty wind conditions.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was attempting to land an experimental airplane on a grass runway. As the airplane descended to treetop level on final approach, it encountered a sudden decrease in airspeed and a rapid rate of descent. After arresting the descent the airplane caught a gust of wind and the left wing rose almost vertically and pushed the airplane to the right. The pilot was able to correct the right roll; however, the airplane impacted a fence and continued about 10 feet before colliding with the side of a hangar resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operations, and stated that he should have attempted to land with a faster airspeed due to the gusty wind conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N677NC
- Reported as
- Flightstar Sportplanes Flightstar II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 271
- Airframe hours
- 1,026
- Engine
- Rotax 582DCDI, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 4, 2013
- Departed
- 1NC9 · Cherryville, NC
- Destination
- 01SC · York, NC
- Airport
- 01SC · York Airport, runway 36, 2,580 × 120 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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 344 total · 2 in this make and model · 344 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- AKH, 11 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2013, 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.