# NTSB GAA19CA036: Airplane Factory Sport Light, N288SL, Carson City, NV, October 25, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 25, 2018, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Carson City, NV - Coordinates: 39.192779, -119.735275 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1928&lon=-119.7353&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 April 8, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 98546 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA036 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98546/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98546 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA036 ## 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: [Airplane Factory Ltd The SLING, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=060009A), [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: [Airplane Factory Ltd The SLING, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=060009A), [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: [Airplane Factory Ltd The SLING, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=060009A), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Airplane Factory Ltd The SLING, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=060009A), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Airplane Factory Ltd The SLING, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=060009A), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that, during his second solo flight, while performing a touch and go, the airplane landed "very" hard and bounced twice before he initiated a go-around. During the subsequent base turn, he felt that the rudder pedals were not reacting to his commands, and he "sensed" that the landing gear had been damaged during the landing. Immediately after the nosewheel touched down, the airplane veered right and exited the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The student pilot reported that, during his second solo flight, while performing a touch and go, the airplane landed "very" hard and bounced twice before he initiated a go around. During the subsequent base turn, he felt that the rudder pedals were not reacting to his commands and he "sensed" that he had damaged the nose landing gear. During the landing, immediately after the nose wheel touched down, the airplane veered right and exited the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount. The student pilot reported that prior to the hard landing there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N288SL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N288SL), registered now, S/N 176, built 2014 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Airplane Factory Sport Light - Registry model: [Airplane Factory Ltd The SLING](https://openairdocs.org/model/airplane-factory-ltd-the-sling) (registry code 060009A) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912 IS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912-is-series) (registry code 55593, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 176 - Year built: 2014 - Airframe hours: 1672 - Engines: Rotax 912 IS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 1, 2018 - Departed: CXP, Carson City, NV - Destination: CXP, Carson City, NV - Airport: CXP, Carson, runway 27, 6,101 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 72; injuries: none; student; medical: sport pilot; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 49 total, 40 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: KCXP, 1 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 20181025020859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181025020859A), Oct 25, 2018: Airplane Factory (Pty) Ltd The SLING, Carson City, NV, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed cxp at approximately 1005PST. Student pilot on second solo flight entered left traffic for touch and go. Pilot touched down nose low with a… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 14, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98546. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 884 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470389&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Picture (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470390&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Picture-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.