- Date
- May 11, 1999, 09:14 local (16:14 UTC)
- Place
- Sacramento, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N23NLHamilton Pitts Special SC-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990511004969A
- Case key
- 46270
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 pilot's misjudged flare, which led to bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the bounced landing recovery.
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 pilot reported that he began the flare higher than normal and the airplane subsequently stalled about 3 to 4 feet above the runway surface. After the initial bounce, the aircraft drifted left and contacted the surface again. The left wing contacted the pavement and the aircraft ground looped. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. The Sacramento weather observation facility reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from 310 degrees at 6 knots.
Factual narrative
On May 11, 1999, at 0914 hours Pacific daylight time, an amateur built experimental Hamilton Pitts Special SC-1, N23NL, nosed over while landing at the Sacramento Executive Airport, Sacramento, California. The aircraft, operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot was not injured. The flight originated at the Sacramento Executive Airport about 0800, and was being conducted as a local area personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he setup the final approach to runway 20. He stated that he began the flare higher than normal and the aircraft subsequently stalled about 3 to 4 feet above the runway surface. After the initial bounce, the aircraft drifted left and contacted the surface again. The left wing contacted the pavement and the aircraft ground looped. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted on the runway. The Sacramento weather observation facility reported that the winds at the time of the accident were from 310 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N23NL
- Reported as
- Hamilton Pitts Special SC-1 (PITTS SPEC)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- RH1
- Airframe hours
- 359
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Scott Monroe
- Registered owner
- Michael Mackes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 1999 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- SAC
- Airport
- SAC · Sacramento Executive, runway 20, 5,503 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,748 total · 3 in this make and model · 2,910 as pilot in command · 202 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SAC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.