- Date
- June 18, 2018, 14:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ferndale, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N722BLJabiru J250
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180618005109A
- Case key
- 97612
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. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s lack of experience and training in the accident airplane make and model.
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, after accepting delivery of his recently purchased airplane, he requested the ferry pilot to "show [him] how to operate the aircraft." During his second approach, he felt that the airplane was low and slow and asked the ferry pilot if he should add power; the ferry pilot responded, "you’re fine." Shortly after, the airplane landed hard on the runway, the nosewheel and right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that, before the accident flight, he did not have any experience flying the accident airplane. The ferry pilot stated that he agreed to only be a passenger and not act as a flight instructor. He added that the airplane was configured for only a left seat pilot.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after accepting delivery of his recently purchased airplane, he requested the ferry pilot to "show me how to operate the aircraft." During his second approach, he felt that he was low and slow and asked the ferry pilot if he should add power; he received a verbal response, "your fine." Shortly after, the aircraft landed hard on the runway, collapsed the nose wheel and right main landing gear and the right wing struck the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that prior to the accident flight, he does not have any experience flying the accident airplane. The ferry pilot stated that he agreed to only be a passenger and not act as a certified flight instructor. He added that the airplane was configured for only a left seated pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N722BL
- Reported as
- Jabiru J250 (SP)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 379
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 191
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 17, 2017
- Departed
- WN35 · Ferndale, WA
- Destination
- WN35 · Ferndale, WA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- WN35 · Meadow Mist, runway 15, 2,000 × 80 ft
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic primary flight display, 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
- 93
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 0 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KBLI, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 5, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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.