- Date
- August 27, 2014, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Birdsboro, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N61148Bertagna John Just Highlander
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20140827017569A
- Case key
- 89978
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 improper landing flare and recovery from a bounced landing resulting in loss of aircraft control.
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 taxied to the active runway for takeoff. The takeoff was normal and he turned downwind for a practice landing. During the landing flare the airplane "bounced," and power was added in an attempt to perform a go-around. The airplane "stalled" and impacted the runway resulting in a post-crash fire that destroyed the airplane. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he taxied to the active runway for takeoff. The takeoff was normal and he turned downwind for a practice landing. During the landing flare the airplane "bounced," and power was added in an attempt to perform a go-around. The airplane "stalled" and impacted the runway resulting in a post-crash fire that destroyed the airplane. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61148
- Reported as
- Bertagna John Just Highlander (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JA2890213
- Built
- 2014
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bertagna John
- Registered owner
- Bertagna John
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PS38 · Birdsboro, PA
- Destination
- PS38 · Birdsboro, PA
- Airport
- PS38 · Bert's Airport, runway 26, 2,264 × 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
- 66
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 16,800 total · 16,800 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- PTW, 9 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 13.1 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.