- Date
- April 21, 2018, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Marietta, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N126ASEipper Quicksilver
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180421010539A
- Case key
- 97728
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 loss of directional control.
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 a pleasure flight, he decided to land on a relative's asphalt driveway. He added that, during the landing, a wind gust "caught a wing," and the airplane was forced onto the driveway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a fence during the landing roll. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the rudder, and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system located about 13 nautical miles southeast from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 130° at 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane uphill to the north. The pilot reported that the wind at the accident site was light and variable.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a pleasure flight, he decided to land on a relative's asphalt driveway. He added that, during the landing, a gust of wind "caught a wing" and the airplane was forced onto the driveway. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a fence during the landing roll. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the rudder and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system located about 13 nautical miles southeast from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 130° at 7 knots. The pilot landed uphill to the north. The pilot reported that the wind at the accident site was light and variable.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N126AS
- Reported as
- Eipper Quicksilver (MXLII)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 861AMS
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 980
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 4, 2017
- Departed
- Marrietta, SC
- Destination
- Marietta, SC
- 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Last flight review
- August 3, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.36 inHg
- Observed at
- KGMU, 13 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.0 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.