- Date
- May 5, 2018, 11:21 local (16:21 UTC)
- Place
- Dekalb, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N468KMPphu Ekolot KR-030 Topaz
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180505004749A
- Case key
- 97184
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 during gusting wind conditions, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Findings · 5
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 flight review, while landing in gusting wind conditions, the airplane ballooned and landed hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane veered sharply to the left, and the pilot applied full power to go around, but the airplane "would not climb." The flight instructor took the flight controls and the airplane came to rest about 400 yards south of the runway. The flight instructor reported that, during the landing, the airplane ballooned and "abruptly dropped" onto the runway, damaging the left landing gear. The airplane veered to the left, the pilot applied power to go around, and the airplane bounced into the air. He added that the airplane would not climb and continued to bounce multiple times before coming to rest south of the runway. He believed the propeller and landing gear damage may have prevented the airplane from climbing during the go around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 6 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 250° at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The airplane landed on runway 27.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a flight review, while landing in gusting wind conditions, the airplane ballooned and landed hard on the left main landing gear. The airplane veered sharply to the left and the pilot applied full power to go around, but the airplane "would not climb". The flight instructor took the flight controls and the airplane came to rest about 400 yards south of the runway. The flight instructor reported that, during the landing, the airplane ballooned and "abruptly dropped" onto the runway, damaging the left landing gear. The airplane veered to the left, the pilot applied power to go around, and the airplane bounced into the air. He added that the airplane would not climb and continued to bounce multiple times before coming to rest south of the runway. He believed the propeller and landing gear damage may have prevented the airplane from climbing during the go around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 6 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 250° at 11 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The airplane landed on runway 27.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N468KM
- Reported as
- Pphu Ekolot KR-030 Topaz (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30-08-03
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 65
- Engine
- Rotax 912IS2, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- North Illinois Union Group Aircraft Divi
- Registered owner
- North Illinois Union Group Aircraft Divi
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · September 23, 2017
- Departed
- DKB · Dekalb, IL
- Destination
- DKB · Dekalb, IL
- Airport
- DKB · De Kalb Taylor Muni, runway 27, 4,201 × 75 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 21, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,041.8 total · 83 in this make and model · 2,892 as pilot in command · 16.7 in the last 90 days · 5.4 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 167.1 total · 4.9 in this make and model · 126 as pilot in command · 4.9 in the last 90 days · 3.9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KDKB
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 12, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.