- Date
- April 12, 2008, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ocala, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N127DHWim J Huisman Velocity 173 Fixed
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080412836219A
- Case key
- 67905
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the wind gusts.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After landing on runway 18, the airplane rolled out for a few feet when the right wing "abruptly raised." The pilot tried to correct with right aileron input and applied full power to execute a go-around. The airplane went off the side of the runway and all three landing gear wheels were still on the ground. The pilot elected to continue the go-around and the airplane continued to roll along the ground as the pilot waited for it to reach the rotation speed of 65 knots. He did not however, see a drainage gully. The nose gear impacted the gully, the main landing gear impacted a second gully and was sheared off, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area on the airport surface. The airplane was substantially damaged having received damage to its nose, canard, fuselage, landing gear, propeller, flight control surfaces, and wings. Runway 18 was 7,550 feet long, 210 feet wide, and consisted of asphalt. The reported wind at an airport located approximatley 8 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 230 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Factual narrative
During approach and landing at his home airport, the pilot of an amateur built Velocity 173 Fixed, experienced wind gusts to 19 knots. After "turning final" for runway 18, at an airspeed of approximately 85 knots, the pilot lowered the airplane's speed brake. The airplane then crossed the runway threshold about 80 knots. The pilot reported that the approach had been normal and he "had a slight crab into the wind" to correct for drift, and had applied rudder to align the airplane with the runway. After touchdown the airplane rolled out for a few feet when the right wing "abruptly raised." The pilot tried to correct with right aileron input and applied full power to execute a go-around. The airplane went off the side of the runway and all three landing gear wheels were still on the ground. The pilot elected to continue the go-around and the airplane continued to roll along the ground as the pilot waited for it to reach the rotation speed of 65 knots. He did not however, see a drainage gully. The nose gear impacted the gully, the main landing gear impacted a second gully and was sheared off, and the airplane came to rest in a grassy area on the airport surface. The airplane was substantially damaged having received damage to its nose, canard, fuselage, landing gear, propeller, flight control surfaces, and wings. Runway 18 was 7,550 feet long, 210 feet wide, and consisted of asphalt. The reported wind at an airport located approximatley 8 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 230 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N127DH
- Reported as
- Wim J Huisman Velocity 173 Fixed
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- DMO 291
- Airframe hours
- 937
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360 C1D6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 1, 2007
- Departed
- X60 · Williston, FL
- Destination
- 17FL · Ocala, FL
- Airport
- 17FL · Greystone Airport, runway 18, 7,550 × 210 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 674 total · 40 in this make and model · 572 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- OCF, 8 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.