# NTSB ERA14CA165: Fantasy Air Sro Allegro 2000, N90650, Kill Devil Hills, NC, March 23, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 23, 2014, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC)
- Place: Kill Devil Hills, NC
- Coordinates: 36.017776, -75.669441 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0178&lon=-75.6694&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report May 21, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88959
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA165
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88959/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88959
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA165

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing approach in gusty wind conditions.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0600005), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=0600005), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=0600005), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=0600005), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0600005), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the sport pilot, while turning from the left base to the final leg of the approach for runway 2, with engine power reduced to "near" idle, a gust of wind came from the right and the airplane lost altitude. He attempted to recover the altitude loss by rolling the airplane to a wing level attitude and adding full power; however, the airplane impacted the top of a tree. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and tail section were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. Around the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was from 020 degrees at 12 knots with gust to 19 knots.

## Factual narrative

According to the sport pilot, while turning from the left base to the final leg of the approach for runway 2, with engine power reduced to "near" idle, a gust of wind came from the right and the airplane lost altitude. He attempted to recover the altitude loss by rolling the airplane to a wing level attitude and adding full power; however, the airplane impacted the top of a tree. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and tail section were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. Around the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was from 020 degrees at 12 knots with gust to 19 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N90650](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90650-2018-03-09), registration cancelled 2018-03-09, S/N 06-235, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: FANTASY AIR SRO ALLEGRO 2000
- Registry model: [Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000](https://openairdocs.org/model/fantasy-air-sro-allegro-2000) (registry code 0600005) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-series) (registry code 55569, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 06-235
- Year built: 2006
- Engines: ROTAX 912 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed: TTA, Sanford, NC
- Destination: FFA, Kill Devil Hills, NC
- Airport: FFA, First Flight, runway 02, 3,000 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; sport pilot; last flight review February 26, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 20° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: KFFA

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20140323004189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140323004189A), Mar 23, 2014: Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2000, Kill Devil Hill, NC, Destroyed. On 03/23/2014 N90650 a Fantasy air allegro 2000 piloted by [privacy data omitted] along with passenger [privacy data omitted] were traveling from raleigh exec…

## Other investigations on N90650 (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA11CA517](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA517), Aug 31, 2011: Fantasy Air Sro Allegro 2000 (N90650), Stonington, ME, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing during crosswind conditions.

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 6, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88959. 2.7 MB in all.

- Memorandum for Record – Phone Interview with Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411955&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Phone%20Interview%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Memorandum for Record – Communication Attempts with Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411956&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Communication%20Attempts%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Memorandum for Record – Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina Weather (item 3, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411957&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20%E2%80%93%20Kill%20Devil%20Hills,%20North%20Carolina%20Weather-Master.PDF
- Photo 1: Airplane at Rest (Courtesy of the FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40411958&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Airplane%20at%20Rest%20(Courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)%0D%0A-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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