- Date
- October 5, 2017, 17:50 local (Oct 6, 2017, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Camarillo, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2918AUltralight America Spitfire II
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171005016119A
- Case key
- 96141
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 track the runway centerline during an attempted go-around, which resulted in impact with a hangar.
Findings · 3
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 a familiarization flight, he took off and "noticed a strong left turning tendency." He added that he "kept the power at a higher, time restricted setting," which resulted in the coolant temperature rising above the 180°F maximum operating temperature. Although there were no indications of performance degradation, he "became concerned" that the airplane could lose engine power due to overheating and decided to make a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane bounced, and he decided to go around. Subsequently, the airplane struck a hangar roof about 75 ft left of the runway centerline and then came to rest on the opposite side of the hangar. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a familiarization flight, he took off and "noticed a strong left turning tendency." He added that, he "kept the power at a higher, time restricted setting", which resulted in the coolant temperature rising above the 180° F maximum operating temperature. Although there were no indications of performance degradation, he "became concerned" that he could lose engine power due to overheating, and decided to make a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane bounced, and he decided to go-around. Subsequently, the airplane struck a hangar roof approximately 75' to the left of the runway centerline and came to rest on the opposite side of the hangar. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2918A
- Reported as
- Ultralight America Spitfire II (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19661978
- Built
- 1993
- Engine
- Rotax 670, 89 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 2, 2017
- Departed
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
- Destination
- CMA · Camarillo, CA
- Airport
- CMA · Camarillo, runway 26, 6,013 × 150 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- September 13, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 115 total · 3 in this make and model · 28 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KCMA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 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.