ERA16CA290

NTSB accident investigation · Kessinger Roger L Rans Coyote · London, KY · August 12, 2016

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 12, 2016, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
Place
London, KY
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N910RKKessinger Roger L Rans Coyote
Defining event
Landing: Hard landing
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 15, 2017
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20160812014269A
Case key
93831

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees during an attempted go-around.

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilotKessinger Roger L RANS COYOTE: 1 caseAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: landing flareAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operationKessinger Roger L RANS COYOTE: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,285 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: tree(s)Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationKessinger Roger L RANS COYOTE: 1 caseAll aircraft: 933 casesProbable cause

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

After a 1-hour local flight during which he familiarized himself with the airplane's stall characteristics, the student pilot/owner of the experimental light sport airplane returned to his home airport to practice touch-and-go landings. The airplane bounced during the final landing attempt, and while recovering, the student applied full power to the engine for a go-around. The student stated that the airplane then banked to the right due to the engine's counter-clockwise rotation "p factor effect" and began heading toward a hangar located off the right side of the runway. Due to the airplane's low altitude and airspeed, the student chose to continue the right turn to avoid colliding with the hangar, and once clear of it, tried to climb the airplane to clear an approaching tree line; however, the airplane's right wing struck one of the trees. The airplane then impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and serious injuries to the pilot. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He attributed the loss of control during the go-around attempt to his unfamiliarity with the flight characteristics of the counter-clockwise rotation of the airplane's two-stroke engine and his lack of flight experience in experimental light sport airplanes.

Factual narrative

After a 1 hour local flight where he explored the airplane's stall characteristics, the student pilot/owner of the experimental light sport airplane returned to his home airport to practice touch-and-go landings. The pilot "bounced" the airplane during the final landing attempt, and while recovering applied full power to the engine for a go around. The pilot stated that the airplane then banked to the right as a result of the counterclockwise rotating-engine's "p factor effect," and began heading toward a hangar located off the right side of the runway. Due to the airplane's low altitude and airspeed, the pilot elected to continue the right turn to avoid colliding with the hangar, and once clear of it, tried to climb the airplane to clear an approaching tree line. The pilot was unsuccessful in this attempt and the airplane's right wing struck one of the trees. The airplane then impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and seriously injuring the pilot.The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane or its engine that would have precluded normal operation. He further attributed the loss of control during the go around attempt to his unfamiliarity with the flight characteristics of the counter clockwise rotation of the airplane's two-stroke engine, and his lack of flight experience in experimental light sport airplanes.

Aircraft

Registration
N910RK
Reported as
Kessinger Roger L Rans Coyote (SUPERSIX)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
296
Built
2007
Airframe hours
36.9
Engine
Rotax 503 DCDI, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
Departed
LOZ · London, KY
Destination
LOZ · London, KY
Airport
LOZ · London-Corbin Arpt-Magee Field, runway 24, 5,751 × 150 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Airframe parachute

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
Student pilot
Age
78
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Student
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Seat
Single
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
287 total · 2 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
170° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
30.04 inHg
Observed at
KLOZ

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 25, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.8 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.