- Date
- March 9, 2017, 16:26 local (21:26 UTC)
- Place
- Hendersonville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N24188Johnson Jerry WAG Aero/SPT Trainer
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170309005529A
- Case key
- 94857
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 unstabilized approach and failure to attain the proper touchdown point while attempting to land in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an attempted go-around and collision with trees and power lines.
Findings · 8
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 he attempted to land on his private airstrip but that he "landed long" due to "gusty crosswind conditions." Upon touchdown, a wind gust lifted the right wing, which resulted in the right wheel lifting off the ground. He added that he then performed a go-around, and that, due to the "high angle of attack" while attempting to clear trees and power lines, he did not have visibility out of his front windscreen. Subsequently, the airplane struck a tree and two power lines. The airplane descended, impacted the ground, and was consumed by a fire started by the severed power lines. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system located about 7 nautical miles from the accident site, about the time of the accident, reported wind from 190° at 14 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed to the southwest.
Factual narrative
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot reported that he attempted to land on his private airstrip, but "landed long" due to "gusty crosswind conditions". Upon touchdown, a gust of wind lifted the right wing, which resulted in the right wheel lifting off the ground. He then performed a go-around, and reported that due to the "high angle of attack" while attempting to clear trees and power lines, he did not have visibility out of his front windscreen. Subsequently, the airplane struck a tree and two power lines. The airplane descended impacting the ground, and was consumed by a fire started by the severed powerlines. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage and empennage. The FAA inspector reported that the pilot stated there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 7 nautical miles from the accident site, about the time of the accident, reported the wind at 190° at 14 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed to the southwest.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24188
- Reported as
- Johnson Jerry WAG Aero/SPT Trainer (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1206
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 600
- Engine
- Continental 85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 1, 2017
- Departed
- 0A7 · Hendersonville, NC
- Destination
- Hendersonville, NC
- Equipment
- None
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
- 84
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 8 in this make and model · 4,900 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KAVL, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.