- Date
- April 13, 2018, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Easton, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N67WMTextron G58
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180413013639A
- Case key
- 97095
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, which resulted in a hard 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 approach, he was distracted by the right front seatback falling forward and interfering with his view of the airplane's control panel. He added that he tried numerous times to push the seatback upright, but it would not stay in the upright position. During final approach, he reached over to try to latch the seat belt to secure the seatback in an upright position. The airplane landed hard and porpoised. 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. The automated weather observation system located on the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot landed on runway 22.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during approach he was distracted by the right front seatback falling forward and interfering with his view of the airplane's control panel. He added that he tried numerous times to push the seat back, but it would not stay in the upright position. During final approach, he reached over to try and latch the seat belt to secure the seatback in an upright position. The airplane landed hard, and porpoised. 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. The automated weather observation system located on the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot landed on runway 22.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67WM
- Reported as
- Textron G58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-2485
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 38
- Engines
- Continental IO-550, 300 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental IO-550, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GED · Georgetown, DE
- Destination
- ESN · Easton, MD
- Airport
- ESN · Easton/Newnam Field, runway 22, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 10,800 total · 38 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KESN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.