- Date
- January 18, 2019, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Reidsville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3075ERobert R. Reiland Rans
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190118000269A
- Case key
- 98897
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 pitch control during a go-around, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
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 of the light sport airplane reported that, during his third solo touch-and-go landing, the airplane "started rising" during the flare. He initiated a go-around and applied full power, but the airplane nosed forward and landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the light sport airplane reported that, during his 3rd solo touch and go landing, the airplane "started rising" during the flare. He initiated a go around and applied full power, but the airplane nosed forward and landed hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3075E
- Reported as
- Robert R. Reiland Rans (S-12)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- R0591076
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 250
- Engine
- Rotax 582 / 99UL, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 7, 2017
- Departed
- SIF · Reidsville, NC
- Destination
- SIF · Reidsville, NC
- Airport
- SIF · Rockingham County Nc Shiloh, runway 31, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Airframe parachute
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 9, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 78.5 total · 6 in this make and model · 51.1 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KSIF
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 12, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.