- Date
- September 2, 2016, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Delaware, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N904LAEvektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 6, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160902013729A
- Case key
- 94451
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 student pilot’s inadequate compensation for the quartering tailwind on landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
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 student pilot reported that during his first supervised solo landing that was conducted in light and variable crosswind conditions, he initiated a go around because, the wind had pushed him off course, and he was no longer in a good position to land. He further reported that during his second approach "everything looked good", but that immediately after the wheels touched down, the airplane veered to the left. He tried to compensate but "very quickly lost control". Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway to the left, the nose gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. A post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the right wing rear spar. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of local weather at the time of the accident showed the wind 070 degrees true at 6 nautical miles per hour, and not gusting. The student pilot landed on runway 28.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that during his first supervised solo landing that was conducted in light and variable crosswind conditions, he initiated a go around because, the wind had pushed him off course, and he was no longer in a good position to land. He further reported that during his second approach "everything looked good", but that immediately after the wheels touched down, the airplane veered to the left. He tried to compensate but "very quickly lost control". Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway to the left, the nose gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. A post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the right wing rear spar. The student pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of local weather at the time of the accident showed the wind 070 degrees true at 6 nautical miles per hour, and not gusting. The student pilot landed runway 28.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N904LA
- Reported as
- Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20070904
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Rotax ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 30, 2016
- Departed
- DLZ · Delaware, OH
- Destination
- DLZ · Delaware, OH
- Airport
- DLZ · Delaware Muni - Jim Moore Fiel, runway 28, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 28.7 total · 20 in this make and model · 18.6 in the last 90 days · 2.5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KDLZ
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 13, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.
Other investigations on N904LA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.