# NTSB WPR10LA271: Shaffer William C Quicksilver MX II SP, N4399J, Visalia, CA, June 1, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 1, 2010, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC) - Place: Visalia, CA - Coordinates: 36.329853, -119.290184 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.3299&lon=-119.2902&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 21, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA Fresno FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76181 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA271 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76181/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76181 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA271 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions and failure to maintain runway alignment while landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=05904QC), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=05904QC), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=05904QC), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=05904QC), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05904QC), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05904QC), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis A witness observed the airplane in a field moving back and forth across a make shift dirt landing strip. He then observed the airplane take off and fly in a “circling maneuver” for approximately one hour. The witness stated that the airplane was flying eastbound over the makeshift landing strip and he watched as it attempted to land in windy conditions. He observed the airplane blown by the wind slightly to the south of the landing strip and crash, flipping over an unknown number of times. A police officer noted that this may have been the pilot’s first actual flight in this airplane and that at the time of the accident there was “a variable wind in the area that did pick up.” Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane landed on a soft/rough surface off the runway which resulted in the collapse of the right main gear. Further damage to the airplane occurred when the pusher propeller cut through a tail support tube of the airplane. The pilot did not hold any pilot or medical certificate. ## Factual narrative On June 1, 2010, about 1320 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Quicksilver MX II SP airplane, N4399J, was substantially damaged during landing in a field near Visalia, California. The non-certified pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was uninjured. The airplane had recently been purchased and was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. In a witness statement obtained by the Visalia Police Department, the witness observed a yellow airplane in a field moving back and forth across a dirt landing strip. He then observed the airplane take off and fly in a “circling maneuver” for approximately one hour. The witness stated that the airplane was flying eastbound over the makeshift landing strip and he watched as it attempted to land in windy conditions. He observed the airplane blown by the wind slightly to the south of the landing strip and crash, flipping over an unknown number of times. The pilot stated to the Visalia Police Department that he had just purchased the airplane and that he had flown this type of airplane in the past. The responding officer indicated in the police report that this may have been the pilot’s first actual flight in this airplane. He also documented that at the time of the accident there was “a variable wind in the area that did pick up.” The police report documented that one of the landing gear tires made contact with the ground approximately 45 feet south of the runway and that the airplane appeared to be traveling in a southeasterly direction. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane landed on a soft/rough surface which resulted in the collapse of the right main gear. Further damage to the airplane occurred when the pusher propeller cut through a tail support tube of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4399J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4399J-2014-09-08), registration cancelled 2014-09-08, S/N 3916887, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SHAFFER WILLIAM C QUICKSILVER MX II SP - Registry model: [Shaffer William C QUICKSILVER MX II SP](https://openairdocs.org/model/shaffer-william-c-quicksilver-mx-ii-sp) (registry code 05904QC) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582dcdi) (registry code 55562, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3916887 - Engines: ROTAX 582DCDI 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Roland Longpre - Registered owner: Pending - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: None, Visalia, CA - Destination: None, Visalia, CA - Airport: None, Private Runway ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; seat: left; flight hours: 100 total, 1 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: KVIS, 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 20100601005359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100601005359A), Jun 1, 2010: Shaffer Wil QUICKSILVER, Visalia, CA, Substantial damage. On initial approach to land onto a dirt road, crosswinds were encountered. The PIC initiated a go around and set up to land into the wind on to an adjoining… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 3, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76181. 6.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 617 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332322&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Report (item 2, .PDF, 144 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40332328&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Image 1: Overview of the airplane and terrain. Photos 1-4 provided by the Visalia Police Department. (item 3, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333835&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Image%201%3A%20Overview%20of%20the%20airplane%20and%20terrain.%20Photos%201-4%20provided%20by%20the%20Visalia%20Police%20Department.-Master.PDF - Image 2: Overview of terrain looking to the right of the wreckage. (item 4, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333836&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Image%202%3A%20Overview%20of%20terrain%20looking%20to%20the%20right%20of%20the%20wreckage.-Master.PDF - Image 3: Damage to airplane tail structure and landing gear as viewed from the right side. (item 5, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333837&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Image%203%3A%20Damage%20to%20airplane%20tail%20structure%20and%20landing%20gear%20as%20viewed%20from%20the%20right%20side.-Master.PDF - Image 4: Airplane’s final resting position as viewed from behind. Note the ground scar extending from the tail of the airplane. (item 6, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333838&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Image%204%3A%20Airplane%E2%80%99s%20final%20resting%20position%20as%20viewed%20from%20behind.%20Note%20the%20ground%20scar%20extending%20from%20the%20tail%20of%20the%20airplane.-Master.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.