- Date
- September 12, 2015, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Green River, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4291RGlenn Timothy C Skystar Series 5
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 5, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150912014769A
- Case key
- 91973
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 pitch attitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.
Findings · 4
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 reported that while on short final about 20 feet above the ground, he noticed the "attitude was a little flat." He reported that the airplane lost altitude "so fast, he didn't have time to react or even think to put the nose down or add power". The airplane impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that his conclusion as to why the accident occurred was that the airplane "flat" stalled about 15 to 20 feet above the ground because he was "so focused on hitting the front of the runway" and didn't keep the airspeed "up." The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on short final about 20 feet above the ground, he noticed the "attitude was a little flat." He reported that the airplane lost altitude "so fast, he didn't have time to react or even think to put the nose down or add power". The airplane impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that his conclusion as to why the accident occurred was that the airplane "flat" stalled about 15 to 20 feet above the ground because he was "so focused on hitting the front of the runway" and didn't keep the airspeed "up." The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4291R
- Reported as
- Glenn Timothy C Skystar Series 5 (SERIES5)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S9404-0015
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 996
- Engine
- Rotax 912 UL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 4, 2014 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 36U · Heber, UT
- Destination
- N/A · Green River, UT
- Airport
- N/A · Mexican Mountain Airstrip, runway 29, 1,500 × 50 ft, dirt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,194 total · 995 in this make and model · 1,072 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- KCNY, 36 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 7, 2015, 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.