- Date
- May 21, 2014, 12:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Winston Salem, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N85TPWonder Michael S Harmon Rocket
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140521007629A
- Case key
- 89313
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 in a gusty crosswind which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.
Findings · 4
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's written statement, while on approach for a straight in landing to runway 33 the tower reported "winds at 250 at 13 or 14 with gusts." The pilot elected to abandon the approach to runway 33 and requested a landing on runway 22. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 22. On final approach the pilot stated he saw a quartering right crosswind at 18 to 19 knots on his onboard system. Upon touchdown the aircraft "began a weathervane" and the pilot elected to go around. After circling the airport the pilot attempted another approach to runway 22. On this approach the pilot used partial flaps and lined up on the left side of the runway. The pilot stated that upon touchdown the aircraft required almost full left rudder to maintain directional control. The pilot stated that he believed he "got an additional right wind gust." At that time the aircraft swerved sharply to the right where it exited the paved surface and rolled onto the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and left wing. The calculated cross wind component at the time of the accident, using the AWOS reported winds, was 13 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot's written statement, while on approach for a straight in landing to runway 33 the tower reported "winds at 250 at 13 or 14 with gusts." The pilot elected to abandon the approach to runway 33 and requested a landing on runway 22. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 22. On final approach the pilot stated he saw a quartering right crosswind at 18 to 19 knots on his onboard system. Upon touchdown the aircraft "began a weathervane" and the pilot elected to go around. After circling the airport the pilot attempted another approach to runway 22. On this approach the pilot used partial flaps and lined up on the left side of the runway. The pilot stated that upon touchdown the aircraft required almost full left rudder to maintain directional control. The pilot stated that he believed he "got an additional right wind gust." At that time the aircraft swerved sharply to the right where it exited the paved surface and rolled onto the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and left wing. The calculated cross wind component at the time of the accident, using the AWOS reported winds, was 13 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85TP
- Reported as
- Wonder Michael S Harmon Rocket
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2828
- Built
- 1996
- Airframe hours
- 942
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540B4B5, 260 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 30, 2013 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- SSI · Saint Simons, GA
- Destination
- INT · Winston Salem, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- INT · Smith Reynolds Airport, runway 22, 3,938 × 150 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 27, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,540 total · 444 in this make and model · 6,100 as pilot in command · 75.4 in the last 90 days · 27.5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- INT
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.3 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.
Other investigations on N85TP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.