- Date
- July 7, 2024, 16:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, TN
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N692BSMissoula Super Drifter
- 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
- 20240707012099A
- Case key
- 194631
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 failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around in gusting wind conditions.
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 pilot and passenger reported that during the final approach to land, an unexpected gust of wind pushed the airplane toward the west side of the runway, near the precision approach path indicator lights and a hillside. As the pilot initiated a go-around, a stronger gust lifted the right wing, and the airplane rolled to the left. The airplane then encountered an aerodynamic stall while banked about 45 degrees, which continued to a 90-degree bank with a 45-degree nose-down pitch attitude. Due to the low altitude, the pilot was unable to recover, and the airplane impacted the airport ramp area, coming to rest inverted. The pilot was seriously injured and the airplane’s wings and fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N692BS
- Reported as
- Missoula Super Drifter
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- SD 32621
- Built
- 2021
- Airframe hours
- 100
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 23, 2024 · 15 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 3M7 · Lafayette Muni, runway 01/19, 5,200 × 75 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 79
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 40,000 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KXNX, 19 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KXNX 072035Z AUTO 36005KT 10SM CLR 32/18 A3002 RMK A01
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 20, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.