# NTSB GAA19CA373: Flight Design Ctsw, N153SW, Blairesville, GA, May 19, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 19, 2019, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Blairesville, GA - Coordinates: 34.854442, -83.997222 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8544&lon=-83.9972&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 21, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 99713 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA373 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/99713/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99713 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA373 ## 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 NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Flight Design CTSW, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0600001), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N153SW), registered now, S/N 07-06-10, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Flight Design CTSW (No Series) - Registry model: [Flight Design CTSW](https://openairdocs.org/model/flight-design-ctsw) (registry code 0600001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 07-06-10 - Year built: 2007 - Engines: 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 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; 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 ## 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 20190519004879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190519004879A), May 19, 2019: Flight Design Gmbh CTSW, Blairsville, GA, Substantial damage. On may 19th 2019, approximately 11:30AM, a light sport aircraft piloted by a private pilot attempted to land at Blairsville, Georgia airport [kdzl]. Pilot… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 28, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=99713. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 402 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485614&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 960 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485615&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-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.