# NTSB SEA07LA266: St. Claire Ragtop-01, N3134Q, Perris, CA, September 19, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 2007, 12:04 local (19:04 UTC) - Place: Perris, CA - Coordinates: 33.764446, -117.218887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7644&lon=-117.2189&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 66722 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07LA266 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66722/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07LA266 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during an aborted landing. Contributing factors to the accident were the fence and the undetermined brake malfunction. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - landing gear,emergency brake system - malfunction (contributing factor) - aborted landing - initiated, pilot in command - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, landing - aborted - object - fence (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane impacted a fence during an aborted landing and the airplane nosed into the ground. During the landing, the pilot noticed that the hand brake was not working. Approximately midfield, the pilot applied full power to abort the landing. A tractor was parked near the end of the runway and the pilot turned the airplane to the left in order to avoid it. During this turn, the left wheel impacted a chain link fence and the airplane impacted the ground. Due to damage sustained to the airplane, the source of the brake malfunction was not determined. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 2007, at 1204 Pacific daylight time, a St. Clair Ragtop-01, N3134Q, collided with terrain during an aborted landing at Perris Valley Airport, Perris, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot departed from Perris earlier that day. The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the airplane. The pilot had about 400 hours total flight time. He received instruction in the airplane and had accrued approximately 3 hours in it at the time of the accident. He and his passenger departed for the local area flight and flew to Lake Elsinore, California, where they did a full stop landing and noted no problems. Then, they returned to Perris and he noticed that a tractor was parked at the end of the runway. Upon touchdown, the pilot stated that the braking system did not work so he elected to abort the landing. He applied power and as he turned the airplane to the left, the left wheel impacted a fence post, and then the airplane collided with the ground. The pilot stated that they had completed maintenance on the braking system a couple of weeks prior to the accident. The brake is operated by a handle on the yoke. The pilot further stated that there were no problems with the braking system upon landing at Lake Elsinore. A witness was driving south when he saw the airplane landing on the dirt runway to the north. The airplane appeared to touch down, and he expected that it would turn off of the runway so he parked his vehicle. He momentarily looked away, and when he looked up he saw the airplane flying by. It climbed about 8 feet and then nosed left to the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator responded to the accident site. Due to damage sustained to the airplane during the accident, the reason for the braking malfunction could not be determined. The pilot did not complete the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident form as requested. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3134Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3134Q-2017-06-22), registration cancelled 2017-06-22, S/N 489-2321, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: St. Claire Ragtop-01 - Registry model: [ST Clair Charlie RAGTOP-01](https://openairdocs.org/model/st-clair-charlie-ragtop-01) (registry code 059014J) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 503 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503-series) (registry code 55564, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 489-2321 - Engines: Rotax 503 45 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William H. Harrison - Registered owner: Norman Jackson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 1, 2007 - Departed: L65, Perris, CA - Airport: L65, Perris Valley Airport, runway N, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: KRIV, 7 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 20070919021649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070919021649A), Sep 19, 2007: Amtr RAGTOP01, Perris, CA, Destroyed. (-23) Pilot was attempting to land an ultralight aircraft on runway. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft coming in too fast. Evidence shows that the pilot… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.