- Date
- June 30, 2018, 19:12 local (23:12 UTC)
- Place
- Malone, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N712FPAeroprakt A-22 Valor
- 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
- 20180630008889A
- Case key
- 97749
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 crosswind correction during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
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
According to the pilot, he overflew the airport and assessed the winds for landing. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a crosswind gust from the right. The right wing lifted, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane pivoted about the left wing and landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was from 240° and light and variable, gusting to 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 23.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he over flew the airport and assessed the wind for landing. During the landing flare the airplane encountered a crosswind gust from the right. The right wing lifted, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane pivoted about the left wing and landed hard. The pilot reported that about the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was from 240° and light and variable, but gusting to 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 23. He reported that when first responders arrived at the accident site, he brought to their attention that the wind was coming from about 310°. The airplane sustained substantial damage the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N712FP
- Reported as
- Aeroprakt A-22 Valor (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 223
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 2,900
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 23, 2008
- Departed
- MAL · Malone, NY
- Destination
- MAL · Malone, NY
- Airport
- MAL · Malone-Dufort, runway 23, 3,994 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 15, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 20 in this make and model · 200 as pilot in command · 2.5 in the last 90 days · 1.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Observed at
- KSLK, 29 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.