GAA19CA373

NTSB accident investigation · Flight Design Ctsw · Blairesville, GA · May 19, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 19, 2019, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Blairesville, GA
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N153SWFlight Design Ctsw
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 21, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190519004879A
Case key
99713

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and landing gear collapse.

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotFlight Design CTSW: 20 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parametersAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedFlight Design CTSW: 5 casesAll aircraft: 1,269 casesProbable cause
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationFlight Design CTSW: 5 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationFlight Design CTSW: 3 casesAll aircraft: 1,008 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, while on approach for landing on runway 26, the wind was reported to be from 240º at 8 knots. One second later, the wind shifted and was from 180º at 6 knots. The pilot flew the final approach with a left crosswind and crossed the threshold at 50 knots. As he leveled the airplane and was about to touch down at 45 knots, the airplane lifted about 7 ft, and the nose pitched up 20º. The pilot pushed the control stick forward and began to add power, but the airplane "violently slammed" onto the runway, and the left main landing gear collapsed. He added full right rudder and aileron to keep the airplane on the runway, but it veered left into tall grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and engine mount.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that while on approach for landing on runway 26, the wind was reported from 240º at 8 knots, then a moment later, the wind shifted to 180º at 6 knots. The pilot flew the final approach with a crosswind from the left and crossed the threshold at 50 knots. As he leveled the airplane, and about to touchdown at 45 knots, the airplane was lifted about 7 ft and the nose pitched up 20º. The pilot shoved the control stick forward and began to add power, when the airplane violently slammed onto the runway, collapsing the left main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact 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 five minutes before the accident, the wind was from 200° at 9 knots, gusting up to 14 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N153SW
Reported as
Flight Design Ctsw (No Series)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
07-06-10
Built
2007
Engine
Rotax 912 ULS, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
White Falcon LLC
Registered owner
White Falcon LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
Departed
TTA · Sanford, NC
Destination
M38 · Hazel Green, AL
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
DZJ · Blairsville, runway 26, 5,004 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Unknown

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
70
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
200° at 9 knots, gusting 14
Visibility
10 statute miles
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 59 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
KDZJ, 1 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 28, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.