# NTSB GAA18CA554: Airborne Edge X Classic, N4557C, Lake Wales, FL, August 25, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: August 25, 2018, 07:30 local (11:30 UTC)
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Coordinates: 27.893888, -81.620552 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8939&lon=-81.6206&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 26, 2019
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 98296
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA554
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98296/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98296
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA554

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=05902RV), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05902RV), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05902RV), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot in the weight-shift-control aircraft reported that he remained in the pattern and was performing full-stop landings. He flared the aircraft too late, and it struck the runway hard. The aircraft sustained substantial to the center-frame bar and the left wing tubes. The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The solo student pilot in the weight-shift-control aircraft, reported that he remained in the pattern and was performing full stop landings. During landing he flared too late, and the aircraft struck the runway hard. The aircraft sustained substantial to the center-frame bar and the left wing tubes. The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4557C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4557C), registered now, S/N 582-306, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBORNE Edge X Classic
- Registry model: [Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC](https://openairdocs.org/model/airborne-edge-x-classic) (registry code 05902RV) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 582SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ser) (registry code 55556, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Weight-shift
- Serial number: 582-306
- Year built: 2009
- Engines: Rotax 582 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Unknown, May 25, 2018
- Departed: X07, Lake Wales, FL
- Destination: X07, Lake Wales, FL
- Airport: X07, Lake Wales Muni, runway 17, 3,860 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Airframe parachute

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 61; injuries: minor; student; seat: front; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 21 total, 21 in this make and model, 1.2 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 3.5 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KBOW, 9 nm away

## 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 20180825016069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180825016069A), Aug 25, 2018: Airborne EDGE X CLASSIC, Lake Wales, FL, Substantial damage. The FAA safety team received an email from the Lake Wales Municipal Airport manager on September 5, 2018 expressing concern that an accident occurred on the…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98296. 3.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472314&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 115 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40472315&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-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.