# NTSB ERA19LA016: Sa300 Starduster, N503CM, Byhalia, MS, October 12, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 12, 2018, 13:45 local (18:45 UTC) - Place: Byhalia, MS - Coordinates: 34.710834, -89.719169 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7108&lon=-89.7192&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 13, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 98496 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA19LA016 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98496/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98496 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA016 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path, which resulted a collision with trees short of the runway. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [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: [Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=86603EB), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=86603EB), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=86603EB), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/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: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=86603EB), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) - [Landing: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097); cases with it: [Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md?model=86603EB), [All aircraft, 261 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot reported that he was practicing landings. He departed and flew over a nearby town and noted that the air was "quite turbulent." Upon returning to the airport, the pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and began a constant-radius, descending turn to the final leg of the traffic pattern. He noticed that the airplane was too low and applied engine power to maintain level flight. The airplane leveled off, and the pilot continued the approach to the runway. The pilot added that, as the airplane approached a tree line, which was about 100 ft before the approach end of the runway, the airplane "suddenly sank" and impacted trees before he could arrest the descent. The airplane came to rest inverted in a wooded area. The wings, fuselage, and empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Given the evidence, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain a proper approach path, which resulted in the impact with trees. Examination of upper air sounding data revealed that no turbulence nor low-level wind shear existed in the area at the time of the accident. A review of meteorological data revealed that the wind conditions had the potential to develop into a 1-knot tailwind. However, the pilot should have been able to anticipate and adequately respond to the slight tailwind. ## Factual narrative On October 12, 2018, about 1345 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built SA300 Starduster, N503CM, was substantially damaged when it struck trees during final approach to land at Maidment Field Airport (7MS3), Byhalia, Mississippi. The private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated about 1315. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to practice landings on runway 35 at 7MS3. He departed and flew over a nearby town and noted that the air was "quite turbulent," which he did not notice on the ground. On the way back, the pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to land on runway 35 and began a constant radius descending turn to the final leg of the traffic pattern. He noticed that the airplane was "too low" and applied engine power to maintain level flight. The airplane leveled off and the pilot continued the approach to the runway. As the airplane approached the tree line, which was 100 ft prior to the approach end of the runway, the airplane "suddenly sank" and impacted the trees before he could arrest the descent. The airplane came to rest inverted in a wooded area. The wings, fuselage, and empennage were substantially damaged in the accident sequence. After the accident, the pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. The 1350 recorded weather observation at Olive Branch Airport (OLV), Olive Branch, Mississippi, located about 16 nautical miles north of the accident location, included wind from 360° at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 19°C, dew point 5°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury. An upper air sounding for accident site for 1400 was reviewed and indicated that there was no clear-air turbulence or low-level wind shear. In addition, the wind below 4,000 ft mean sea level indicated 5 knots. Two non-official weather sites about 16 nautical miles to the west of the accident location (one to the northwest and one to the southwest) were reviewed for weather data. Wind speeds were similar to OLV around the time of the accident; however, both indicated a tailwind wind component of about 1 knot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N503CM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N503CM-2020-10-28), registration cancelled 2020-10-28, S/N 1, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SA300 Starduster - Registry model: [Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER](https://openairdocs.org/model/menzel-conrad-sa300-starduster) (registry code 86603EB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming HO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ho-360-series) (registry code 41513, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1 - Year built: 1991 - Airframe hours: 264 - Engines: Lycoming HO-360-B1B 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, December 3, 2017 - Departed: 7MS3, Byhalia, MS - Destination: 7MS3, Byhalia, MS - Airport: 7MS3, Maidment Field, runway 35, 2,100 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: serious; private, foreign; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 24, 2017; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 331 total, 40 in this make and model, 292 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 0.5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: OLV, 16 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 20181012019769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181012019769A), Oct 12, 2018: Menzel Conrad SA300 STARDUSTER, Byhalia, MS, Substantial damage. The pilot stated he entered the downwind leg for runway 35 at approx. 1200? AGL. Abeam the 35 threshold at approx. 1100? AGL with 80-90MPH. As I initiated a… ## Other investigations on N503CM (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 ATL01LA061](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA061), May 26, 2001: Conrad Menzel SA-300 Starduster (N503CM), Jackson, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 29, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98496. 10.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478478&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Weather Observations (item 2, .PDF, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478479&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Crosswind Component Chart (item 3, .PDF, 285 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478480&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Crosswind%20Component%20Chart-Master.PDF - Investigative Photographs (item 4, .PDF, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40478481&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-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. --- 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.