- Date
- July 18, 2007, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Luis Obispo, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N599CADta Sari Combo FC 912
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20070718015199A
- Case key
- 66314
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 student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Also causal was the instructor's inadequate supervision.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane collided with the runway while practicing a touch-and-go landing. The flight instructor stated that just as the airplane was rounding out in the flare the airplane made a quick pitch down, which the instructor thought was due to a sudden power reduction by the student. The airplane nose gear impacted the runway and collapsed. The instructor stated that he felt the accident could have been avoided by maintaining steady partial power, maintaining a slight nose-up pitch attitude, and landing farther down the runway. The instructor and student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft.
Factual narrative
In a written report to the National Transportation Safety Board, the CFI stated that during an instructional flight, he and the student pilot were performing a touch-and-go landing at the time of the accident. The airplane started to roundout in the flare, with a slight climb, followed by a quick pitch down, which the CFI thought was due to a sudden power reduction by the student. The airplane nose gear impacted the runway and collapsed. The CFI stated he felt the accident could have been avoided by maintaining steady partial power, maintaining a slight nose up pitch attitude, and landing farther down the runway.
The CFI and student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N599CA
- Reported as
- Dta Sari Combo FC 912
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75
- Airframe hours
- 10
- Engine
- Rotax 912LL, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special); Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 1, 2007
- Departed
- SBP · San Luis Obispo, CA
- Airport
- SBP · San Luis Obispo County-Mc Ches, runway 29, 5,300 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2007
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 2 in this make and model · 1,850 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Student
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 21 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- SBP
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.