# NTSB GAA15LA027: Cub Crafters CC18 180, N550BS, Westfield Township, OH, March 28, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 28, 2015, 19:58 local (23:58 UTC) - Place: Westfield Township, OH - Coordinates: 41.045276, -81.936668 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0453&lon=-81.9367&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 5, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 90960 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15LA027 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90960/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90960 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15LA027 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a base-to-final turn while landing toward the sun. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) - [Light condition: glare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 109 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036030/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Awareness of condition (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern base: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he departed on a cross-country flight to his home airport. He planned to arrive about sunset and land to the west. The pilot's last recollection of the events leading up to the accident was initiating a right turn from the base to final leg in the traffic pattern. The airplane wreckage was found inverted on the runway, adjacent to a tree line near the approach end. A semicircular, concave indentation on the leading edge of the right wing exhibited wood and paint transfer marks consistent with marks found on a severed treetop and branches at the initial point of impact. It is likely that the pilot misjudged the airplane's height above the trees when he turned onto final and was flying toward the setting sun. ## Factual narrative On March 28, 2015, about 1958 Eastern daylight time, a Carbon Cub 18-180 airplane, N550BS, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during the landing at Crazy Bob's Airfield (2OI4), Westfield Center, Ohio. The commercial pilot performed the flight while visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The solo pilot received serious injuries. The airplane departed Loraine County Regional Airport (LPR), Loraine/Elyria, Ohio about 1900, with Crazy Bob's Airfield as the intended destination. In a written report to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot reported that he obtained the flight's weather planning information using television and radio weather reports. His departure time was 1930, and sunset occurred at 2015. The destination runway was runway 27. The pilot further acknowledged that the turn from base to final was the last memory he could recall pertaining to the events of the accident. The initial point of impact was located in the southern tree line near the approach end of runway 27. One large treetop, approximately 3 inches in diameter with what appeared to be yellow paint transfer from the right wing of the airplane, was found suspended in the tree line, along with several smaller branches found on the ground in the same vicinity. The airplane wreckage was situated on the runway, approximately 100 feet from the initial point of impact, adjacent to the tree line. The airplane was intact and came to rest inverted. The airplane was moved into the pilots' hangar at the airport where a post-accident examination was conducted under the supervision of an FAA Inspector. The examination revealed there were no pre-impact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The right wing leading edge, outboard of wing's lift strut attachment, had a semi-circular, concave indentation, and a 12 inch span-wise dent, which was 8 inches deep. An examination of the onboard engine data management system revealed that manifold pressures and exhaust gas temperatures were indicative of an ascent to a cruising power, cruise flight, and a descent. ## Aircraft - Registration: N550BS (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CUB CRAFTERS CC18 180 (NO SERIES) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CC18-0015 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 322 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-C4P 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Syme, Robert P., doing business as Roberts Marine - Registered owner: Syme, Robert P. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 14, 2014 - Departed: LPR, LORAIN/ELYRIA, OH - Destination: 2OI4, Westfield Township, OH - Airport: 2OI4, Crazy Bob's Airport, runway 27, 1,600 × 60 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Stall warning system, Data recorder ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 81; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 11, 2014; seat: front; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8,200 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 330° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: BJJ, 10 nm away ## 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 20150328008529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150328008529A), Mar 28, 2015: Cub Crafters CC18-180, Westfield Twp, OH, Substantial damage. Airman was attempting to land on his private airstrip around 7:40PM local time. The wind was less than 8 knots in the area out of the west. On final approach… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90960. 3.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432584&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Aircraft Performance (item 2, .PDF, 748 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432585&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Performance-Master.PDF - FAA Continuity Check Inspector's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 17 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432586&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Continuity%20Check%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photographs (item 4, .PDF, 702 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40432587&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Master.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.