# NTSB GAA16CA189: TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 Sirius, N726T, South St. Paul, MN, April 8, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 8, 2016, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: South St. Paul, MN - Coordinates: 44.857498, -93.033058 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8575&lon=-93.0331&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 1, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: Minneapolis FSDO (FAA) - NTSB case key (mKey): 93001 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16CA189 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93001/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93001 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA189 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain a proper landing flare in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and substantial damage to the firewall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0600078), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=0600078), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Ability to respond/compensate (probable cause); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=0600078), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=0600078), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=0600078), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=0600078), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he encountered gusty wind conditions and a "sudden low level wind shear" during the landing flare and touched down hard. During the landing roll, the pilot noticed that he could not steer the airplane to the left, but he was able to stop the airplane on the runway. During a postaccident inspection, evidence of a propeller strike was also observed. The firewall was substantially damaged. An automated weather observing system, about the time of the accident, at the accident airport reported the wind 330 degrees true at 16 knots gusting to 28 knots. The pilot reported that he landed on runway 34. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he encountered gusty wind conditions and a "sudden low level wind shear" during the landing flare and touched down hard. During the landing roll, the pilot noticed that he could not steer the airplane to the left, but he was able to stop the airplane on the runway. During a postaccident inspection, evidence of a propeller strike was also observed. The firewall was substantially damaged. An automated weather observing system, about the time of the accident, at the accident airport reported the wind 330 degrees true at 16 knots gusting to 28 knots. The pilot reported that he landed on runway 34. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N726T](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N726T), registered now, S/N 13SI77, built 2013 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TL ULTRALIGHT SRO TL-3000 SIRIUS (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [TL Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS](https://openairdocs.org/model/tl-ultralight-sro-tl-3000-sirius) (registry code 0600078) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 13SI77 - Year built: 2013 - Airframe hours: 463.1 - Engines: Rotax 912 ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Air Associates of Missouri - Registered owner: Swan Air LLC. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 3, 2015 - Departed: DBQ, DUBUQUE, IA - Destination: SGS, South St. Paul, MN - Airport: SGS, South St Paul Muni-Richard E F, runway 34, 4,002 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review December 30, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 71.5 total, 13.6 in this make and model, 36 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 9.1 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 16 knots, gusting 28 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: KSGS ## 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 20160408003939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160408003939A), Apr 8, 2016: Tl Ultralight Sro TL-3000 SIRIUS, South St. Paul, MN, Substantial damage. On second flight of the day, a pilot was conducting a visual approach to runway 35 at south saint Paul airport, Minnesota. The aircraft lost lift and impacted… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93001. 628 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 525 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440205&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 103 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440206&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-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.