# NTSB GAA20CA088: Higgins John H/Williams John D Questair Venture, N35HW, Daytona Beach, FL, October 27, 2019

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 27, 2019, 11:53 local (15:53 UTC)
- Place: Daytona Beach, FL
- Coordinates: 29.080278, -81.046669 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0803&lon=-81.0467&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report May 21, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 100606
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA20CA088
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100606/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100606
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA088

## Probable cause

The pilot's unstabilized approach, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, loss of directional control, and impact with a tree and then terrain.

## 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: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Fire/smoke (post-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170); cases with it: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170/sequence.md?model=056375A), [All aircraft, 354 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that, during landing, his approach was unstable with an excessive descent rate. Surveillance video footage showed that the airplane touched down hard at the start of the displaced threshold, bounced, veered right, exited the side of the runway, clipped a tree, and then impacted terrain. A postcrash fire ensued. The airplane sustained thermal and substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot report 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 landing, his approach was unstable with an excessive descent rate. Surveillance video footage showed that the airplane touched down hard at the start of the displaced threshold, bounced, veered right and exited the side of the runway where it impacted terrain, and a post-crash fire ensued. The airplane sustained thermal and substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot did not report a preaccident mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N35HW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35HW-2023-02-04), registration cancelled 2023-02-04, S/N 99, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HIGGINS JOHN H/WILLIAMS JOHN D QUESTAIR VENTURE (MDL 20)
- Registry model: [Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20](https://openairdocs.org/model/higgins-john-h-williams-john-d-questair-vent-mdl-20) (registry code 056375A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-550-N](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-n) (registry code 17215, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 99
- Year built: 2019
- Engines: Continental IO-550-N reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport: 7FL6, Spruce Creek, runway 24, 4,002 × 176 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 80; injuries: serious; flight instructor, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: KEVB, 5 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 20191027021959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191027021959A), Oct 27, 2019: Higgins John H/Williams John D QUESTAIR VENT MDL 20, Port Orange, FL, Destroyed. Aircraft made an unstable approach with an excessive decent rate, causing aircraft to hit runway hard, bouncing up and knife edging clipping a palm tree then…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 6, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100606. 321 KB in all.

- FAA Inspector's Statement (item 1, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481078&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 229 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481079&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF
- Video File (item 3, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40481080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Video%20File-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.

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