- Date
- December 18, 2023, 17:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Pahokee, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N875SBCirrus Design SR20
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- 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
- FAA report
- 20231218019469A
- Case key
- 193542
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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain control of the airplane after encountering a wind gust during landing.
Findings · 3
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 accident occurred during a transition training instructional flight, and the pilot receiving instruction had not previously logged any flight experience in the accident airplane make and model. The pilot receiving instruction reported that on final approach they entered a side slip to align with the runway. The airplane was stable approaching the threshold but once past the threshold the airplane started to drift to the right of the centerline. The pilot called for a go-around and controls were passed to the flight instructor. The flight instructor stated that 20-30 feet above the runway the tail began to swing from left to right and he took control of the airplane. The airplane floated over the runway for a few seconds while he used the rudder to compensate for the unexpected gust of wind. The flight instructor stated that the airplane became difficult to control before one wing contacted the runway. The tail structure separated from the fuselage and the fuselage, engine mount, and both wings were substantially damaged. The flight instructor stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N875SB
- Reported as
- Cirrus Design SR20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2720
- Built
- 2021
- Airframe hours
- 802.6
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-390-C3B6, 215 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- SkyBlue Aviation
- Registered owner
- C-Level Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 13, 2023
- Departed
- F45 · North Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- PHK · Palm Beach County Glades, runway 36, 4,116 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 29, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,605 total · 1,438 as pilot in command · 145 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 379 total · 0 in this make and model · 298.6 as pilot in command · 107.7 in the last 90 days · 26.2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- 2IS, 19 nm away
- METAR
- METAR K2IS 182235Z AUTO 31012KT 10SM CLR 17/10 A2992 RMK AO2 T01730100=
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.