- Date
- February 5, 2018, 15:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Kerrville, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N726ADSomerton David J JA30 Superstol
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180205020039A
- Case key
- 96703
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 directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
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 pilot reported that, during landing in crosswind conditions, a wind gust "initiated" a ground loop, and the airplane exited the runway to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 200° at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 12.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing in crosswind conditions, a wind gust "initiated" a ground loop and the airplane exited the runway to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. 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 10 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 200° at 13 knots, gusting 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 12.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N726AD
- Reported as
- Somerton David J JA30 Superstol (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JA398-07-14
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 88.9
- Engine
- Rotax 914UL, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 3, 2017
- Departed
- BWD · Brownwood, TX
- Destination
- ERV · Kerrville, TX
- Airport
- ERV · Kerrville Muni/Louis Schreiner, runway 12, 6,004 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 13, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,068 total · 72 in this make and model · 883 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KERV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 22, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.8 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.