MIA02LA129

NTSB accident investigation · Taylorcraft F21B · Somerville, TN · July 6, 2002

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 6, 2002, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Somerville, TN
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N4418FTaylorcraft F21B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 6, 2002
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20020706019809A
Case key
55172

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing and damage to the airplane.

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.

Hard landingLanding - flare/touchdown
Flare - improperPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The pilot stated that on final approach to land he lowered the nose of the airplane to lose the excess altitude, but the airspeed increased, so in an attempt to reach the target airspeed he pulled back on the controls as the airplane neared the landing runway and stalled the airplane about 20 feet above the runway. He said that the airplane descended impacting the ground, and came to rest about 20 feet off the runway, incurring damage. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane or its systems.

Factual narrative

On July 6, 2000, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft F21B, N4418F, registered to and operated by a private owner, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while the pilot was attempting to land at Fayette County Airport, Somerville, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the commercial-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated in Alliance, Ohio, the same day, about 0900.

The pilot stated that on final approach to land he adjusted the throttle control and reduced engine power, but realized that he was too high. He said he lowered the nose of the airplane to lose the excess altitude, but the airspeed increased, so in an attempt to reach the target airspeed he pulled back on the controls as the airplane neared the landing runway and stalled the airplane about 20 feet above the runway. He said that the airplane descended impacting the ground, and came to rest about 20 feet off the runway, incurring damage to both wing spars, the landing gear, and the propeller. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane or its systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N4418F
Reported as
Taylorcraft F21B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
F1514
Airframe hours
300
Engine
Textron Lycoming O-235-L2C, 118 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Gerald A. Graves
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 27, 2002 · 6 hours before
Departed
2D1 · Alliance, OH
Destination
FYE · Somerville, TN
Airport
FYE · Fayette County, runway 36, 3,500 × 75 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
55
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Invalid Medical for flight
Last flight review
September 1, 2001
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,690 total · 400 in this make and model · 1,630 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
0° at 3 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
95 °F, dew point 72 °F
Altimeter
30.07 inHg
Observed at
MEM, 30 nm away

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 422 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.