GAA19CA242

NTSB accident investigation · Flight Design Ctls · Sandy Valley, NV · May 5, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 5, 2019, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
Place
Sandy Valley, NV
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N175LMFlight Design Ctls
Defining event
Landing: Hard landing
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 3, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190505004039A
Case key
99377

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 steep bank turn at low altitude, which resulted in a rapid descent and 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.

Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operationFlight Design CTLS: 3 casesAll aircraft: 390 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotFlight Design CTLS: 22 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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, during a biennial flight review, the flight instructor told him to expect a simulated engine failure during takeoff and an engine-out approach to a perpendicular runway. After departure and about 400 ft above ground level (agl), the instructor reduced power, and the pilot turned left to land on the perpendicular runway. He overshot the runway, banked to 40°, and felt a "strong sink." He leveled the wings and added full power about 150 to 200 ft agl, but the airplane continued to descend. The instructor stated he considered taking the flight controls, but the pilot maintained control. The airplane landed hard, the right main landing gear (MLG) struck a hole, the airplane veered right, and the left MLG separated. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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, during a biennial flight review, he was briefed by the flight instructor to expect a simulated engine failure during takeoff and an engine-out approach to a perpendicular runway. He departed runway 21, and about 400 ft above ground, reduced power and turned left for the dirt runway 12. He overshot the dirt runway, banked to 40°, and felt a "strong sink." He leveled the wings and added full power about 150 to 200 ft, but the airplane continued to descend. The instructor stated he considered taking the flight controls, but the pilot maintained control. The airplane landed hard, the right main landing gear struck a "rabbit hole", the airplane veered right, and the left main landing gear separated. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 about 26 miles to the east reported that, about 4 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 220° at 10 knots, temperature 72°F, dew point 34°F, altimeter setting 29.79" Hg. The pilot reported that the wind was variable at 5 to 15 knots, gusting to greater than 15 knots, temperature 80°F. The pilot added that there was severe windshear and, later in the day, the assistant airport manager reported observing a dust devil over the accident site.

Aircraft

Registration
N175LM
Reported as
Flight Design Ctls (Undesignat)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
F-12-03-10
Built
2012
Airframe hours
491
Engine
Rotax 912 ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · October 29, 2018
Departed
3L2 · Sandy Valley, NV
Destination
3L2 · Sandy Valley, NV
Airport
3L2 · Sky Ranch, runway 12, 3,300 × 105 ft, dirt
Equipment
Angle of attack indicator, Airframe parachute, Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, ADS-B, 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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
67
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Sport Pilot
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Sport pilot
Last flight review
May 5, 2019
Seat
Right
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
24,500 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Role
Flight instructor
Age
80
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight instructor, Military, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
November 13, 2017
Seat
Left
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
12,000 total · 10,000 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
220° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 34 °F
Altimeter
29.79 inHg
Observed at
KHND, 26 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.