# NTSB LAX99LA142: Witzel Glassair II FT, N71TL, Casa Grande, AZ, April 9, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 9, 1999, 10:46 local (17:46 UTC) - Place: Casa Grande, AZ - Location: 32.9481° N, 111.7820° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from CASA GRANDE MUNI (CGZ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9481&lon=-111.7820&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report November 22, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46257 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA142 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46257/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA142 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skid, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis The pilot stated that he listened to the automated weather and learned that the winds were from 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 25 knots. He attempted to land on runway 23 and said he carried some extra speed to account for the extra wind gusts. He said he encountered a wind gust, which lifted the airplane about 8 feet off the ground. He then decided to do a go-around but was unable to roll the wings level and thought he may have been below stall speed at that point. The left wing impacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled. A CFI witness, who landed immediately prior to the accident, said as they landed their airplane the winds were gusting to 25-28 knots, and he estimated they had a 30-knot crosswind component. He said he saw the accident airplane on approach, and that it 'looked fast on final.' He said it appeared that it bounced several times prior to a wind gust picking up the right wing. ## Factual narrative On April 9, 1999, at 1046 hours mountain standard time, an experimental Witzel Glassair II FT, N71TL, dragged the left wing during a landing attempt on runway 23 and subsequently cartwheeled off the runway at the Casa Grande, Arizona, airport. The aircraft, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. A flight plan was not filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed with the winds reported to be 280 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 22 knots. The personal flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, originated at Carlsbad, California, at 0845 Pacific standard time, with an ultimate destination of Midland, Texas. The pilot stated that he listened to the automated weather and learned that the winds were from 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 25 knots. He said that he felt that Casa Grande Municipal Airport appeared to have the runways that were most favorable to the wind conditions. He stated he thought his touchdown was normal, but he had made his touchdown a bit faster than usual to account for the potential for wind gusts. He said the gust he encountered was "greater than I could deal with." The airplane was lifted approximately 8 feet and he applied full power for a go-around. He said at that moment, the gust apparently stopped abruptly and he thought he might have been below stall speed. He stated when he was about 3-feet high, the left wing impacted the ground and the airplane spun around and the nose gear collapsed. An eyewitness, a certified flight instructor who was just finishing up a training flight with a student, estimated that a 30-degree crosswind existed and stated that the winds were gusting to 25-28 knots during his landing moments before this accident on runway 23. The flight instructor said he saw the accident airplane coming in on final and that the approach looked fast, and said it appeared that the pilot was attempting to force the airplane onto the runway. As the airplane touched down, it bounced into the air and the pilot again attempted to touch down on the runway. The witness stated that a gust of wind caught the aircraft and the airplane bounced back into the air. He said that on the third bounce, a gust of wind caught the right wing and put the airplane on "knife edge," and the wind proceeded to push him over and the left wingtip hit the dirt and the airplane cartwheeled for about 100 feet before coming to a stop. The witness said the pilot never appeared to attempt to go-around during the sequence, and that it also appeared like the aircraft still had power applied to it. He concluded his statement by saying, "It didn't look like the pilot ever had it under control." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N71TL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N71TL-2001-09-19), registration cancelled 2001-09-19, S/N 1071 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Witzel GLASSAIR II FT (GLASSAIR I) - Registry model: [Witzel Anton B GLASAIR II FT](https://openairdocs.org/model/witzel-anton-b-glasair-ii-ft) (registry code 05691FJ) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1071 - Airframe hours: 265 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-AIA 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Danny K. Clearman - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 29, 1998, 109 hours before - Departed: CRQ, CARLSBAD, CA - Destination: KMDD, MIDLAND, TX - Airport: KCGZ, Casa Grande, runway 23, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 594 total, 178 in this make and model, 589 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 16 knots, gusting 22 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: CGZ, 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 19990409003419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990409003419A), Apr 9, 1999: Amtr GLASAIRIIFT, Casa Grande, AZ, Substantial damage. Acft encountered a crosswind on landing and cartwheeled off the rwy. (.19) on April 9, 1999, at 1046 hours mountain standard time, a witzel glassair ii ft,… 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.