- Date
- August 30, 2008, 13:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Barceloneta, PR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N594TCQuicksilver MXL II
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080830855479A
- Case key
- 68843
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 student pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing. Contributing to the accident were the high winds.
Findings · 2
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
While landing on an unapproved grass strip, the student pilot of the amateur-built experimental light sport aircraft "bounced" and decided to abort the landing. As he applied power to the engine, the airplane encountered a wind gust, banked sharply right, and lost altitude. During the aborted landing, the airplane continued to turn to the right in a steep bank. After completing a full 180-degree turn, the airplane descended and impacted a fence pole, substantially damaging the right wing. The reported wind, at an airport located approximately 28 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident was from 250 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Factual narrative
While landing on an unapproved grass strip, the student pilot of the amateur-built experimental light sport aircraft (E-LSA) Quicksilver MXL II airplane, "bounced" and decided to abort the landing. As he applied power to the engine, the airplane encountered a wind gust, banked sharply right, and lost altitude. During the aborted landing, the airplane passed in close proximity to a utility pole, clearing the obstacle by approximately 20 feet, as the airplane continued to turn to the right in a steep bank. After completing a full 180-degree turn, the airplane descended and impacted a fence pole, substantially damaging the right wing. The reported wind, at an airport located approximately 28 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 250 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N594TC
- Reported as
- Quicksilver MXL II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5690
- Engine
- Rotax 503DCSI, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed
- NONE · Barceloneta, PR
- Destination
- NONE · Barceloneta, PR
- Airport
- NONE · Private Airstrip
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 10 total · 10 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- TJBQ, 28 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.
Other investigations on N594TC · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.