- Date
- May 30, 2022, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Winter Haven, FL · On airport, adjacent to taxiway B
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N136WFFoster William D Elite
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 105155
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 flare and inadequate application of power during landing, resulting in a hard landing and substantial damage to the airplane.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot, who was the amphibious airplane’s owner and possessed single engine land and sea ratings, was receiving instruction on takeoffs and landings. The flight instructor reported that the approach to the runway was normal; however, the pilot flared too high. The instructor verbally commanded power, but the pilot did not respond appropriately, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. The left, front wheel separated, the airplane departed the runway surface, struck a trench, and came to rest inverted. There were no injuries. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration examined the wreckage and determined that the damage to the fuselage was substantial. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N136WF
- Reported as
- Foster William D Elite
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 630E
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 164
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 12, 2021 · 12 hours before
- Airport
- GIF · Winter Haven Rgnl, runway 5, 5,005 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 2, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 165 total · 16 in this make and model · 64 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 28, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,151 total · 5 in this make and model · 1,934 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KGIF
- METAR
- METAR KGIF 291653Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 32/19 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP160 T03170189
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.