# NTSB WPR09LA301: Paul Antares, N729YF, Petaluma, CA, June 20, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 19, 2009, 19:15 local (Jun 20, 2009, 02:15 UTC) - Place: Petaluma, CA - Coordinates: 38.257778, -122.605278 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2578&lon=-122.6053&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report December 15, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 74098 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA301 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74098/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74098 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA301 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing in gusting winds. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause) - [Turbulence](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03032000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation ## Analysis The pilot encountered turbulence that continued to increase while entering the pattern for landing. On final approach, the pilot added power to counteract the turbulent wind condition. The trike continued to experience turbulence and the pilot decided to descend rapidly once past the runway numbers in hopes of finding smoother air. At this point, she still felt that she had control of the trike. About 50 feet above the ground; however, a gust of wind struck the trike and pushed it off the runway centerline. She corrected back to the runway, and at this point the trike became uncontrollable and impacted the runway in a nose-down attitude. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the trike at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative On June 19, 2009, about 1915 Pacific daylight time, an experimental weight-shift-control aircraft (trike) Paul Antares, N729YF, lost control during landing and impacted the runway in a nose down attitude at the Petaluma Municipal Airport (O69), Petaluma, California. The owner/pilot operated the trike under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot received serious injuries, and the trike sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that on the descent to enter the pattern, at 1,500 feet above ground level (agl), she encountered turbulence that worsened as she entered the pattern. On final approach the trike had extra airspeed and power because of the weather conditions, and she planned on landing about halfway down the runway to avoid "rotor" from the hangars on the upwind side of the first half of the runway. The pilot stated that she decided to descend more rapidly once past the runway numbers in the hope the air would be smoother, but it was not. She felt that she had retained aircraft control during final approach; however, at 50 feet, a gust of wind pushed the trike off runway centerline. As she corrected back to the runway, the trike became uncontrollable and impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the trike. The pilot also stated that had she stayed at the higher altitude and attempted the landing, like her fellow pilots, she would not have experienced the "unmanageable downdraft," that she encountered. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Turbulence encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/360) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N729YF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N729YF-2010-08-09), registration cancelled 2010-08-09, S/N 001, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Paul Antares - Registry model: [Paul Caroline MB ANTARES](https://openairdocs.org/model/paul-caroline-mb-antares) (registry code 05902TN) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582UL DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ul-dcdi) (registry code 55563, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: 001 - Engines: Rotax 582 64 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2008 - Departed: O69, Petaluma, CA - Destination: O69, Petaluma, CA - Airport: O69, Petaluma Municipal Airport, runway 29, 3,601 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: serious; private, sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 400 total, 200 in this make and model, 400 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: DVO, 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 20090619014639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090619014639A), Jun 19, 2009: Paulca ANTARES, Petaluma, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Mrs. Paul returned to land. On descent she encountered turbulence beginning at about 1500 feet AGL which grew worse in the patter. Mrs. Paul made her… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 30, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74098. 595 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 595 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319434&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.