# NTSB MIA99LA015: Peters Strojnik S2A, N70136, Pensacola, FL, October 24, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: October 24, 1998, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place: Pensacola, FL
- Location: 30.4410° N, 87.1912° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Pensacola, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.4410&lon=-87.1912&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 45152
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA015
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45152/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA015

## Probable cause

The aircraft's uncontrolled climb after encountering a wind gust or thermal during landing flare without engine power resulting in the pilot having to force the aircraft onto the runway making a hard landing prior to the end of the runway.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - gusts
  - weather condition - thermal lift
  - climb - uncontrolled (cause)
- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown

## Analysis

The pilot approached for landing in the motor glider without engine power. As he flared for landing he encountered what he described as either a wind gust or thermal which cause the aircraft to climb to about 40 feet. He pushed the aircraft's nose down to regain airspeed and then noticed he was running out of runway. He forced the aircraft onto the runway, landing hard.

## Factual narrative

On October 24, 1998, about 1530 central daylight time, a Peters Strojnik S2A amateur built motor glider aircraft, N70136, registered to an individual, landed hard at Coastal Airport, Pensacola, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Pensacola, Florida, the same day, about 1400.

The pilot stated that he took off using the engine of the motor glider and climbed with engine power to 4,000 feet. After about 1 hour of gliding he returned to the departure airport. He approached to land without engine power. As he flared for landing the aircraft suddenly lifted back up to about 40 feet. He stated he does not know if he encountered a wind gust or a thermal. He nosed the aircraft over to regain airspeed and noticed that he was running out of runway. He forced the aircraft onto the runway touching down hard.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N70136](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N70136), registered now, S/N 115, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Peters STROJNIK S2A (STROJNIK S)
- Registry model: [Peters Kerry STROJNIK S2A](https://openairdocs.org/model/peters-kerry-strojnik-s2a) (registry code 056229S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 115
- Airframe hours: 108
- Engines: Kohler K3402AS 40 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Steven D. Centers
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, August 21, 1998, 4 hours before
- Departed: 83J, COSTAL, FL
- Airport: 83J, Costal, runway 36, 2,510 × 230 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, expired; seat: front; flight hours: 110 total, 4 in this make and model, 40 as pilot in command, 3 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 4 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: PNS, 12 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 19981024030429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981024030429A), Oct 24, 1998: Amtr S2ASTROJNIK, Pensacola, FL, Substantial damage. Powered clider was over the rwy when the it "ballooned", the pilot nosed the acft over to gain airspeed, but the acft was running out of rwy. The pilot forced…

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.

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