- Date
- November 28, 2018, 10:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Rock Hill, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N909CASmith AEROSTAR601
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181128022999A
- Case key
- 98712
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 decision to fly with an air cast boot on his foot, which led him to rely on the passenger to apply brakes and rudder, which was performed improperly and led to 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 he was flying the airplane while wearing an "air cast boot." During landing, the airplane decelerated, and he asked the passenger to move his feet up to the brake pedals and apply the brakes. He added that the passenger applied "insufficient differential brake application," and the airplane veered left. The passenger applied right brake and rudder to correct, but the airplane then veered right, exited the runway, and impacted a ditch. The pilot reported that he was wearing the boot due to a previous injury. He added that he had the ability to fully manipulate both rudder controls, but the boot prevented him from being able to fully apply brake pressure. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was flying the airplane while wearing an "air cast boot", during landing, the airplane decelerated, and he asked the passenger to move his feet up to the brake pedals and apply the brakes. He added that the passenger applied "insufficient differential brake application was applied" and the airplane veered left. The passenger applied right brake and rudder to correct, the airplane then veered to the right, exited the runway, and impacted a ditch. The pilot reported that he was wearing the boot due to a previous injury. He added that he had the ability to fully manipulate both rudder controls, but the boot prevented him from being able to fully apply brake pressure. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 31 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 340° at 6 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 29 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 330° at 7 knots. The airplane landed on runway 02.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N909CA
- Reported as
- Smith AEROSTAR601 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61-0281-107
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 2,704
- Engines
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming TIO-540-S1A5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- P&M Truck Sale Inc
- Registered owner
- P&M Truck Sale Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 22, 2018
- Departed
- DQH · Douglas, GA
- Destination
- UZA · Rock Hill, SC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- UZA · Rock Hill/York Co/Bryant Field, runway 02, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 200 in this make and model · 2,900 as pilot in command · 41 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KUZA
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 11, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.