- Date
- May 22, 2008, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Burnsville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N522DJPilatus PC-12
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080522840479A
- Case key
- 68062
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 while landing. Contributing to the accident was the gusty wind conditions.
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
The pilot was landing the Pilatus PC-12 on runway 32, a 2,900-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway, at an airport located in a mountainous area. After touchdown, the right wing lifted up, and the airplane became airborne again. The pilot flew back toward the center of the runway and touched down again; however, a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the left. The airplane's left wing was substantially damaged when it struck an embankment off the left side of the runway. The airplane subsequently came to rest on the embankment, approximately 150 feet prior to the end of the runway. The pilot reported that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions of the airplane. Winds reported at an airport located about 39 miles northeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, were from 300 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 26 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing the Pilatus PC-12 on runway 32, a 2,900-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway, at an airport located in a mountainous area. The pilot reported experiencing updrafts and downdrafts while on final approach. After touchdown, the right wing lifted up, and the airplane became airborne again. The pilot flew back toward the center of the runway and touched down again; however, a gust of wind caused the airplane to veer to the left. The airplane's left wing was substantially damaged when it struck an embankment off the left side of the runway. The airplane subsequently came to rest on the embankment, approximately 150 feet prior to the end of the runway. The pilot reported that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions of the airplane. He reported 3,790 hours of total flight experience, which included 1,040 hours accumulated in the same make and model as the accident airplane. Winds reported at an airport located about 39 miles northeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, were from 300 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 26 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N522DJ
- Reported as
- Pilatus PC-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 539
- Airframe hours
- 2,002
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67B, 1,200 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jeffrey S, Wilson, doing business as JW Pilot Services, LLC
- Registered owner
- Epps Aviation / Pilatus Center South
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2008
- Departed
- PDK · Atlanta, GA
- Destination
- 2NC0 · Burnsville, NC
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 2NC0 · Mountain Air, runway 32, 2,900 × 50 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,790 total · 1,040 in this make and model · 3,580 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- TNB, 39 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2008, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 457 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.