MIA07CA078

NTSB accident investigation · Robert J. Goodyear Hummel Bird · Lakeland, FL · April 18, 2007

Accident · Serious injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 18, 2007, 10:20 local (14:20 UTC)
Place
Lakeland, FL
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N555XRobert J. Goodyear Hummel Bird
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 31, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20070418008989A
Case key
65695

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 failure to maintain airspeed during a go-around.

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.

Loss of control - in flightGo-around (vfr)
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in command
Miscellaneous
Incapacitation(loss of consciousness)Pilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The pilot said that while turning final to land on runway 27, he was at an altitude of 300 ft. AGL, an airspeed of 65 MPH, and he was closing in on the aircraft that was ahead of him. At this point he said he reduced his airspeed to just below 60 MPH, and when he slowed down he noticed that the aircraft ahead of him started to increase altitude. He was still closing on that aircraft and decided to go around on the inside. He made a hard bank to the left, and was at an altitude of 195 feet AGL, when his aircraft stalled. He said he made corrections in an attempt to recover, and his aircraft abruptly turned right, causing his head to strike the canopy, and he lost consciousness. The pilot said that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to his aircraft or any of its systems.

Factual narrative

The pilot stated that he had completed several laps around the ultralight traffic pattern at Lakeland Linder Airport, when he decided to land. He entered left traffic, and while on left downwind for a landing on the ultralight runway 27, at and altitude of 400 feet AGL, he noticed another aircraft about 1,500 feet ahead of him and at a slightly lower altitude. He further stated that while turning to left base, he noticed that his airspeed was 70 mph, his altitude was 400 feet, and the airplane in front of him had slowed down considerably. When turning final, he was at an altitude of 300 ft. AGL, his airspeed was 65 MPH, and he was closing on the aircraft that was ahead him. At this point the pilot said he reduced his airspeed to just below 60 MPH. When he slowed down he noticed that the aircraft ahead of him started to increase altitude, and he was still closing on that aircraft, so the pilot said he decided to go around on the inside. He made a pretty hard bank to the left, felt the left crosswind get under his wing. His airspeed was just below 55 MPH, and he was at an altitude of 195 feet AGL, when his aircraft stalled. The pilot that as he made corrections in an attempt to recover, his aircraft abruptly turned right, causing his head to strike the canopy, and he lost consciousness. According to the pilot, that was the last thing he remembered until he awakened in the hospital the next day. The pilot said that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to his aircraft or any of its systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N555X
Reported as
Robert J. Goodyear Hummel Bird
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
HB-3460
Airframe hours
125
Engine
Volkswagen Ae567997, 37 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Robert J. Goodyear
Registered owner
Robert J. Goodyear
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · February 1, 2007
Departed
LAL · Lakeland, FL
Destination
LAL
Airport
LAL · Lakeland Linder Regional

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
57
Injuries
Serious
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Last flight review
March 1, 2006
Seat
Single
Flight hours
269 total · 129 in this make and model · 234 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
250° at 7 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
72 °F, dew point 54 °F
Altimeter
29.79 inHg
Observed at
LAL

FAA reports on this event · 1

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