- Date
- September 11, 2017, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Ynez, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4465FCzech Aircraft Works Spol Sro Sportcruiser
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170911011629A
- Case key
- 96021
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 improper landing flare in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Findings · 2
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, during landing in gusting wind conditions, "there was a shift in wind speed and direction," and the airplane bounced and landed hard. The main landing gear collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane then exited the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 230° at 11 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing in gusting wind conditions, "there was a shift in wind speed and direction" and the airplane bounced and landed hard. The main landing gear collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and exited the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that about 5 minutes after the accident the wind was from 230° at 11 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4465F
- Reported as
- Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro Sportcruiser (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 08SC142
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 3,001.3
- Engine
- Rotax 912 ULS, 98 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Santa Monica Flyers Inc
- Registered owner
- Santa Monica Flyers Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 14, 2017
- Departed
- SMO · Santa Monica, CA
- Destination
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Airport
- IZA · Santa Ynez, runway 26, 2,803 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Airframe parachute, Handheld GPS
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 100 total · 100 in this make and model · 30 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KIZA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 13, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.7 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.