# NTSB WPR09CA020: Royse David Avid C Aerobat, N967DR, Hollister, CA, October 21, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 21, 2008, 14:39 local (21:39 UTC) - Place: Hollister, CA - Coordinates: 36.953334, -121.465553 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.9533&lon=-121.4656&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 15, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 69327 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09CA020 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/69327/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09CA020 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain airplane control during the landing flare. Contributing to the accident were the gusty wind conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=05628DB), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=05628DB), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05628DB), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=05628DB), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=05628DB), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05628DB), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he departed with the intention of flying around the traffic pattern to maintain his flying currency. After a few minutes, he approached runway 23 and attempted to land. The pilot stated that the wind was from a northerly direction at 7-10 knots and was gusty. The pilot entered a sideslip to maintain runway alignment. As the airplane crossed the threshold, it suddenly lost lift and descended until it impacted the runway, bounced, and then nosed over. The airplane came to rest in an inverted attitude adjacent to the south side of the runway, about 350 feet upwind of the runway's landing threshold. The airplane's rudder and wing lift struts were bent. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions occurred with the airplane and that its engine operated normally. The pilot also reported that he was flying his airplane under his sport pilot license and that no aviation medical certificate was required. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that he departed with the intention of flying around the traffic pattern to maintain his flying currency. After a few minutes, he approached runway 23 and attempted to land. The pilot stated that the wind was from a northerly direction at 7-10 knots and was gusty. The pilot entered a sideslip to maintain runway alignment. As the airplane crossed the threshold, it suddenly lost lift. It descended until impacting the runway, bounced, and nosed over. The airplane came to rest in an inverted attitude adjacent to the south side of the runway, about 350 feet upwind of the runway's landing threshold. The airplane's rudder and wing lift struts were bent. During interviews with the Safety Board investigator, the pilot indicated that no mechanical malfunctions were experienced with the airplane, and its engine operated normally. The pilot also reported that he was flying his airplane as a light sport airplane, and no aviation medical certificate was required. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N967DR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N967DR-2018-08-10), registration cancelled 2018-08-10, S/N 967, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROYSE DAVID AVID C AEROBAT - Registry model: [Royse David AVID C AEROBAT](https://openairdocs.org/model/royse-david-avid-c-aerobat) (registry code 05628DB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ser) (registry code 55556, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 967 - Airframe hours: 129.3 - Engines: Rotax 582 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 12, 2008 - Departed: 1C9, Hollister, CA - Destination: 1C9, Hollister, CA - Airport: 1C9, Frazier Lake Airpark, runway 23, 2,500 × 100 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 82; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 21, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 319 total, 123 in this make and model, 264 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 7 knots, gusting 10 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F ## 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 20081021852039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20081021852039A), Oct 21, 2008: Royse AVIDCAEROBAT, Hollister, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) N967DR was caught by a severe northerly crosswind while approaching short final at Frazier lake airport (1C9). Pilot stated he tried to correct for… 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.