# NTSB LAX02LA081: Conrad Pulsar 582, N3218N, Prescott, AZ, February 9, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 9, 2002, 14:02 local (21:02 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.489997, -112.439399 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4900&lon=-112.4394&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 24, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-WP-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54183 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX02LA081 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54183/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54183 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA081 ## Probable cause The pilot failed to maintain landing reference speed and aircraft control. A factor was the gusty wind conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - airspeed(vref) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot landed the airplane hard on the nose landing gear, which collapsed; this was his first flight in this type of airplane. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and this was his first flight in it. He had the previous owner sitting in the right seat for the familiarization flight. The airplane had a single control stick mounted between the two seats, and he was the sole manipulator of the controls. He took off and intended to stay in the traffic pattern to practice touch-and-go landings and reported that the winds were very gusty. On the first landing he made a short approach that was too fast. After the nose landing gear sheared off, the airplane slid across the runway before coming to rest. The pilot had about 100 hours total time in airplanes, primarily in the Cessna 182, and was flying on a student certificate without an endorsement for this airplane. The previous owner was a commercial pilot, but not a certified flight instructor. ## Factual narrative On February 9, 2002, at 1402 mountain standard time, an experimental Conrad Pulsar 582, N3218N, landed hard, collapsing the nose landing gear, at Prescott, Arizona. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot and the second pilot, who held a commercial certificate, were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed Prescott about 1350. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that he had recently purchased the airplane and this was his first flight in it. He had the previous owner sitting in the right seat for the familiarization flight. The airplane had a single control stick mounted between the two seats, and he was the sole manipulator of the controls. He took off and intended to stay in the traffic patter to practice touch-and-go landings and reported that the winds were very gusty. He said that on the first landing he made a short approach that was too fast. He landed the airplane hard on the nose landing gear, which collapsed. The airplane slid across the runway before coming to rest. The pilot said he had about 100 hours total time in airplanes, primarily in the Cessna 182. This was his first flight in this type of airplane. The pilot was flying on a student pilot certificate with no endorsement for this type of airplane. The previous owner was a commercial pilot but not a certified flight instructor. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3218N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3218N-2018-03-13), registration cancelled 2018-03-13, S/N 173 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CONRAD PULSAR 582 - Registry model: [Conrad William R PULSAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/conrad-william-r-pulsar) (registry code 05620XE) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 3971321 - Airframe hours: 350 - Engines: Rotax 582 66 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert A. Elias - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: PRC, PRESCOTT, AZ - Airport: PRC, Prescott, runway 21R, 4,846 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 180 total - Other flight crew; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 7 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 30.34 inHg - Observed at: PRC ## 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 20020209001409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020209001409A), Feb 9, 2002: Amtr PULSAR, Prescott, AZ, No damage. (.19) On February 9, 2002, at 1402 mountain standard time, an experimental conrad Pulsar, N3218N, made a hard landing at Prescott, Arizona. The pilot/owner was… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54183. 408 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 408 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40386858&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.