# NTSB ERA22LA304: Arion Lightning, N326AL, Indiana, PA, July 10, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 10, 2022, 10:50 local (14:50 UTC) - Place: Indiana, PA - Coordinates: 40.631061, -79.101526 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6311&lon=-79.1015&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 105441 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA304 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105441/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105441 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA304 ## Probable cause The airplane pilot’s inadvertent encounter with rotor wash/turbulence during short final approach, which resulted in a loss of control in flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060006O), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=060006O), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) - [Turbulence: wake turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/cases.md?model=060006O), [All aircraft, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032025/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: Aircraft wake turb encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361) (defining event); cases with it: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md?model=060006O), [All aircraft, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/361/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=060006O), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=060006O), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the light sport airplane reported that he was flying to an uncontrolled airport to attend an airshow later during the day. The destination airport traffic pattern was busy with several airplanes in the traffic pattern and a flight of three north of the airport. The pilot entered the traffic pattern by overflying the airport and crossing midfield onto a left downwind leg. At that point, a life flight helicopter reported 2.5 miles southwest. The pilot subsequently heard a report from the helicopter again and asked him where he was. The helicopter stated that he was on the right base leg for runway 11 and number two to land. The pilot of the airplane announced turning to final for runway 11. He was over the threshold at 20 ft above ground level when he saw the helicopter cross the runway several hundred feet ahead of him. The airplane then encountered the rotor wash, rolled right inverted and struck the runway, coming to rest on the runway. The pilot of the helicopter reported that he departed his home base about 2.5 miles from the airport to attend an airshow public relations event at the airport. He entered a right base leg for runway 11 and stated intentions to land No. 2 as there were four airplanes in the traffic pattern and airplane No. 3 (the accident airplane) was turning from left downwind to left base. The helicopter approached the runway numbers, sidestepped north to taxiway A1, and landed at a predesignated position on the taxiway for the airshow. After shutting down, the pilot was told by ground personnel that the airplane following him was involved in an accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N326AL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N326AL-2023-08-30), registration cancelled 2023-08-30, S/N 99 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ARION LIGHTNING (LS1) - Registry model: [Arion LIGHTNING LS-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/arion-lightning-ls-1) (registry code 069001H) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 99 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 455 - Engines: Jabiru 3300A 120 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, May 7, 2022, 13 hours before - Departed: FWQ, Rostraver, PA - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: IDI, Indiana County Airport, runway 11, 5,502 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 2, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 776 total, 79 in this make and model, 638 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.16 inHg - Observed at: KIDI - METAR: KIDI 101455Z AUTO 13005KT 10SM CLR 23/12 A3016 ## 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 20220710011889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220710011889A), Jul 10, 2022: Arion Aircraft LLC LIGHTNING LS-1, Indiana, PA, Destroyed. On Sunday July 10, 2022, an accident occurred involving an Arion aircraft lightning LS1G light sport category aircraft. The accident occurred at approximately… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105441. 4.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14169153&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Helicopter pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 200 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14169358&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Helicopter%20Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14169627&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.