- Date
- September 11, 2015, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Spartanburg, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N442DDCzech Sport Piper Sport
- Defining event
- Landing: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150911021829A
- Case key
- 92170
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 control during the landing which resulted in a bounced landing, and an aerodynamic stall during the attempted recovery.
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 reported that the airplane bounced during the touchdown. He reported that the airplane aerodynamically stalled after he attempted to recover from the bounce and the propeller impacted the ground. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the airplane bounced during the touchdown. He reported that the airplane aerodynamically stalled after he attempted to recover from the bounce and the propeller impacted the ground. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N442DD
- Reported as
- Czech Sport Piper Sport (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P1001046
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 655.3
- Engine
- Rotax 912-ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Flightlease LLC
- Registered owner
- Flightlease LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 4, 2015
- Departed
- SPA · Spartanburg, SC
- Destination
- SPA · Spartanburg, SC
- Airport
- SPA · Spartanburg Downtown Memorial, runway 23, 5,200 × 100 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Airframe parachute, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather
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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 29, 2014
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 111 total · 18 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- SPA
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 10, 2015, 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.