- Date
- May 13, 2009, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Oakdale, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N701LDART Lee Delano CH701
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090513006979A
- Case key
- 73829
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 inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions while landing.
Findings · 4
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 reported that he observed a strong crosswind from the right while on final approach to the destination airport. Just prior to touchdown, the airplane drifted to the left of the runway centerline. The airplane continued to drift and touched down in a grass-covered field adjacent to the runway surface. While on the landing roll, the airplane traveled downslope and the nosewheel became embedded in the terrain surface, resulting in it nosing over to an inverted position. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred structural damage to the rudder. The pilot recalled that the wind velocity at the time of the accident was about 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
Factual narrative
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he observed a strong crosswind from the right while on final approach to the destination airport. Just prior to touchdown, the airplane drifted to the left of the runway centerline. The airplane continued to drift and touched down in a grass covered field adjacent to the runway surface. While on the landing roll, the airplane traveled downslope and the nose wheel became embedded in the terrain surface, resulting in a nose over to inverted. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred structural damage to the rudder. The pilot recalled that the wind velocity at the time of the accident was about 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N701LD
- Reported as
- ART Lee Delano CH701
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6223
- Airframe hours
- 53
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Art Lee Delano
- Registered owner
- Art Lee Delano
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 28, 2008 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- E79 · Fresno, CA
- Destination
- 027 · Oakdale, CA
- Airport
- 027 · Oakdale, runway 28, 3,020 × 66 ft, asphalt
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 18, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,870 total · 53 in this make and model · 1,870 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Observed at
- MOD, 11 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 22, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 610 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.