# NTSB ERA23LA291: Volato 400, Dublin, GA, June 17, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 17, 2023, 12:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place: Dublin, GA
- Coordinates: 32.560239, -82.983889 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5602&lon=-82.9839&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- 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): 192553
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA291
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192553/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192553
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA291

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a runway undershoot and a hard landing, which substantially damaged the airplane’s firewall.

## 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: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that upon returning from a local flight, during the landing flare, he noticed the airplane was still sinking so he “began pulling back on the stick.” The airplane continued to sink, and the pilot added partial power, but the sink rate was not arrested, and the airplane impacted the ground, about 10 ft before the runway threshold. Upon impact with the ground, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid about 1,000 ft down the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that he felt he used full elevator aft but did not think he was getting full authority and that an autopilot servo bracket may have interfered with the flight control. The safety pilot on board reported that the pilot performed a flight control check before the departure with no anomalies noted. Additionally, during a postaccident examination of the flight controls, the FAA inspector found the autopilot servo bracket was loose on the elevator control tube and a flight control check found the bracket did not restrict the aft movement of the elevator. The postaccident examination otherwise found no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: PR-ZVL (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: Volato 400
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 001
- Year built: 2013
- Airframe hours: 330
- Engines: Lycoming YIO-390-EXP 210 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Volato Aeros
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, June 1, 2023
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: DBN, W H 'Bud' Barron, runway 2, 6,501 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 4, 2023; seat: left; flight hours: 230 total, 12 in this make and model, 230 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot-rated passenger; injuries: none; seat: right; restraint: lap only

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Turbulence: Light
- Observed at: DBN
- METAR: METAR KDBN 181635Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 32/16 A2995 RMK AO2=

## Docket (10 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192553. 13.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15893494&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ntsb%20signed%20and%20filled%20out_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 75 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15893873&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Safety pilot statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15894263&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Safety%20Pilot%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, safety pilot (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15894860&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Safety%20Pilot%20Interview-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� FAA inspector statement (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15933197&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Mechanic's statement (item 6, PDF, 1 page, 238 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15893782&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Mechanic%20Apprentice%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� condition inspection checklist from mechanic (item 7, PDF, 4 pages, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15894206&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Maintenance%20Checklist_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photographs (item 8, PDF, 5 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15910940&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA23LA291-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� FAA inspector flight control check (item 9, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15893996&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20FAA%20Flight%20Control%20Check-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 508 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15938222&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Wreckage%20release%20signed_Redacted-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.

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