# NTSB ERA26LA036: Czech Sport Aircraft A S Sportcruiser, N549PS, Cuthbert, GA, November 7, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 7, 2025, 18:38 local (23:38 UTC) - Place: Cuthbert, GA - Coordinates: 31.700968, -84.814486 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7010&lon=-84.8145&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report January 9, 2026 - 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): 201975 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA036 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201975/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201975 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA036 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees and terrain while maneuvering for a precautionary landing, at low altitude and at night. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=0600066), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was on a visual flight rules (VFR), cross-country flight. He anticipated that there would be an intermittent overcast cloud ceiling and patches of rain along the route, and so he elected to climb above the clouds. The pilot had reached 11,000 ft msl and then began descending to 10,000 ft as night fell. About 1.5 hours into the flight, while still flying at an altitude of 10,000 ft msl, the pilot observed elevated engine cylinder head temperatures. The pilot subsequently contacted air traffic control, declared an emergency, and began to descend through the cloud ceiling that was below him. The airplane exited from the clouds about 5,000 ft agl and the pilot received radar vectors toward a diversion airport that was about 5 miles away. The pilot described that it was very dark with no ground lights visible. As he focused on keeping the engine rpm low to reduce load to lower the cylinder temperatures, he attempted to activate the runway lights at the diversionary airport. After the accident, he realized he had been unable to do this successfully because he had inadvertently remained on the radio frequency with the air traffic controller and not tuned to the appropriate radio frequency to activate the airport’s pilot-controlled lighting. The pilot continued towards the visible airport beacon, still unable to activate the runway lights, and while he maneuvered in an attempt to locate and approach the runway for landing, the airplane struck trees and then the ground. The pilot incurred minor injuries during the accident sequence and the airplane’s fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated that he believed the elevated cylinder head temperatures were possibly the result of carburetor icing. He did not utilize carburetor heat during the flight. In summary, the pilot’s initial decision to climb above a known area of overcast clouds and precipitation on a VFR flight that would extend into the night resulted in limited options when he encountered an anomalous engine indication. During his subsequent diversion to the alternate airport, the pilot’s distraction due to this issue likely degraded his ability to perform the necessary steps to successfully locate the diversionary runway and perform a precautionary landing. Had the pilot flown the airplane at an altitude that was safely below the cloud ceiling and above the terrain while he attempted to locate the runway, it is likely that the accident would not have occurred. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N549PS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N549PS), registered now, S/N C0549, built 2016 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CZECH SPORT AIRCRAFT A S SPORTCRUISER - Registry model: [Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER](https://openairdocs.org/model/czech-sport-aircraft-a-s-sportcruiser) (registry code 0600066) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: C0549 - Year built: 2016 - Engines: ROTAX 912ULS SERIES 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: N549ps LLC - Registered owner: N549ps LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 30, 2025, 40 hours before - Departed: CTY, Cross City, FL - Destination: EKY, Bessemer, AL - Flight plan: VFR/IFR - Airport: 25J, Lower Chattahoochee Rgnl - Equipment: Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 7, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 185 total, 80 in this make and model, 185 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 180° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: BIJ, 19 nm away - METAR: METAR KBIJ 072215Z AUTO 18003KT 10SM DZ SCT039 BKN050 OVC090 22/17 A2986 RMK AO2= ## 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 20251107020819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251107020819A), Nov 7, 2025: Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, Cuthbert, GA, Destroyed. The pilot contacted ozr controller after becoming disorented in weather and having engine overheating indications. The pilot then declared an emergency for… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201975. 7.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19628112&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA036%20Pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement to FAA (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 234 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19628147&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA036%20Pilot%27s%20Statement%20N549PS_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19627932&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA26LA036%20Photo%20Array_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. --- 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.