- Date
- May 17, 2016, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Grass Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N99SZVan B Anthony Zodiac
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160517009999A
- Case key
- 93198
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 a stabilized approach and landing, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, runway excursion, and collision with a parked airplane.
Findings · 6
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 of an experimental amateur built airplane reported that he felt pressured by a trailing airplane while in the traffic pattern; he further reported that this pressure caused him to turn base, and then final sooner than expected, which resulted in an increased airspeed and higher than expected altitude on final approach. The pilot reported that he decided to proceed with the landing with the intent of utilizing the length of the runway to reduce the airspeed. He further reported that the landing flare was effected by the higher than normal airspeed, and resulted in a hard landing. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the airplane began to veer to the left and right which progressively increased, resulting in a runway excursion to the left. During the runway excursion, the airplane impacted a taxiway sign, which disabled the brake(s). The airplane continued across the airport until it impacted a parked airplane on the ramp. As a result of the impact, a post-impact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed.
Factual narrative
The pilot of an experimental amateur built airplane reported that he felt pressured by a trailing airplane while in the traffic pattern; he further reported that this pressure caused him to turn base, and then final sooner than expected, which resulted in an increased airspeed and higher than expected altitude on final approach. The pilot reported that he decided to proceed with the landing with the intent of utilizing the length of the runway to reduce the airspeed. He further reported that the landing flare was effected by the higher than normal airspeed, and resulted in a hard landing. During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the airplane began to veer to the left and right which progressively increased, resulting in a runway excursion to the left. During the runway excursion, the airplane impacted a taxiway sign, which disabled the brake(s). The airplane continued across the airport until it impacted a parked airplane on the ramp. As a result of the impact, a post-impact fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99SZ
- Reported as
- Van B Anthony Zodiac (601 HDS)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6-3029
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 18.8
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 2, 2016
- Departed
- GOO · Grass Valley, CA
- Destination
- GOO · Grass Valley, CA
- Airport
- GOO · Nevada County Air Park, runway 25, 4,351 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Data recorder
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
- 75
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- February 16, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 373 total · 16 in this make and model · 317 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KGOO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2016, 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.