# NTSB ERA18LA224: Glasair SHA, N38WS, Greenville, NC, August 18, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 18, 2018, 19:50 local (23:50 UTC) - Place: Greenville, NC · airport property short of runway in the grass - Coordinates: 35.635555, -77.384162 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6356&lon=-77.3842&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 98117 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18LA224 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98117/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98117 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA224 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s misjudgment of the airplane’s glidepath during the forced landing, which resulted in the airplane touching down short of the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=05655QA), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=05655QA), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=05655QA), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=05655QA), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=05655QA), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05655QA), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis While the airplane was climbing through 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began running roughly and the fuel flow rate slowed. Shortly after reaching 3,500 ft msl, the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted a forced landing at a nearby airport; however, while in a spiral descent to land, he misjudged the airplane’s glidepath and landed in grass short of the runway. The airplane impacted a drainage ditch, resulting in substantial damage. A detailed examination of the engine and components was not conducted and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 18, 2018, about 1950 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Glasair SH, N38WS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Greenville, North Carolina. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed on the cross-country flight and while climbing the airplane through 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl), he noticed that the engine began to run rough; the fuel flow, which was normally “11 to 12, was around 8” gallons per hour. He continued to climb and as he approached 3,500 ft msl, the engine completely “quit.” The pilot spiraled the airplane down to a nearby airport; however, during the last turn to the runway, the airplane was too low. He subsequently landed in the grass short of the runway, where the airplane impacted a drainage ditch before coming to rest. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the main landing gear was collapsed, which damaged the underside of the fuselage and wings. Review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed that an engine overhaul was completed about 716 flight hours before the accident flight and 90 hours since the last condition inspection. No additional examination of the engine was conducted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38WS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38WS), registered now, S/N 198 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GLASAIR SHA - Registry model: [Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR](https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-weston-l-sha-glasair) (registry code 05655QA) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 198 - Year built: 1985 - Airframe hours: 3098 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 23, 2018, 90 hours before - Departed: GYH, Greenville, SC - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: PGV, Pitt-Greenville - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 18, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 3,278 total, 3,277 in this make and model, 3,270 as pilot in command, 47 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: PGV, 1 nm away ## 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 20180818021169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180818021169A), Aug 18, 2018: Smith Weston L SHA-GLASAIR, Greenville, NC, Substantial damage. Pilot states normal operations through takeoff until around 3000' during climbout when aircraft engine began running rough. Throttle and mixture were advanced… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 16, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98117. 21.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 8 pages, 11.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12513136&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilots%206120%20Accident%20Report_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_pilot/owner (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12517588&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_Pilot%20Owner_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation_FAA (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12515861&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation_FAA-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpt (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 9.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12462827&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20Excerpt_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array_accident site and airplane damage (item 5, PDF, 3 pages, 357 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12515684&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Site%20and%20Damage%20Photographs-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.