# NTSB GAA18CA436: Airborne Windsports PTY Edge XT-912-L, N824PB, Albuquerque, NM, July 24, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 24, 2018, 07:37 local (13:37 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.146667, -106.799163 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1467&lon=-106.7992&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97875 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA436 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97875/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97875 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA436 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=060003A), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the weight-shift-control aircraft reported that, during a flight review, while practicing touch-and-go landings, the flight instructor and pilot were both on the flight controls to allow the pilot to mirror the instructor's movements. During the landing flare, the pilot felt the airspeed was too high, and the aircraft touched down and veered left. The instructor and pilot both tried to bring the aircraft under control, but the aircraft began to "waddle" and came to rest on its right side. The instructor reported that, during the flight, he observed the pilot was tense and uncomfortable and during the first landing, the airspeed was too low. He instructed him to increase the airspeed and to practice stabilized approaches. During the accident landing roll, the aircraft was not aligned with the center of the runway and heading left. The pilot corrected to the right but then turned back to the left. The aircraft came to rest on its right side. The weight-shift-control aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the weight-shift-control aircraft that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 13 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 20° at 8 knots. The weight-shift-control aircraft landed on runway 35. ## Factual narrative The pilot of the weight shift control aircraft reported that, during a flight review, while practicing touch and go landings, the flight instructor and pilot were both on the flight controls to allow the pilot to mirror the instructor's movements. During the landing flare, the pilot felt the airspeed was too high, the aircraft touched down and veered to the left. The instructor and pilot both tried to bring the aircraft under control, but the aircraft began to "waddle" and came to rest on its right side. The instructor reported that, during the flight, he observed the pilot was tense and uncomfortable and, during the first landing, the airspeed was too low. He instructed him to increase the airspeed and to practice stabilized approaches. During the accident landing roll, the aircraft was not aligned with the center of the runway and heading to the left. The pilot corrected to the right, but then made a turn back to the left. The aircraft came to rest on its right side. The weight shift control aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the weight shift control aircraft that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 13 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 20° at 8 knots. The weight shift control aircraft landed on runway 35. The pilot and flight instructor did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N824PB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N824PB), registered now, S/N XT-912-0462, built 2015 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBORNE WINDSPORTS PTY LTD EDGE XT-912-L - Registry model: [Airborne Windsports PTY EDGE XT-912-L](https://openairdocs.org/model/airborne-windsports-pty-edge-xt-912-l) (registry code 060003A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912UL series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912ul-series) (registry code 55571, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: XT-912-0462 - Year built: 2015 - Engines: Rotax 912UL reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Departed: AEG, Albuquerque, NM - Destination: AEG, Albuquerque, NM - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: AEG, Double Eagle II, runway 35, 5,993 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot - Flight instructor; age 43; injuries: minor; flight instructor, sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 13,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.43 inHg - Observed at: KAEG ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180724017939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180724017939A), Jul 24, 2018: Airborne Windsports Pty Ltd EDGE XT-912-L, Albuquerque, NM, Substantial damage. On July 24, 2018, at 07:45 MDT a Airborne windsports pty, edge XT-912L, N824PB, registered to [privacy data omitted], lost dirctional control during landing,… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97875. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Flight Instructor's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467375&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467376&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40467377&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.