- Date
- May 19, 2011, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Torrance, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N81235Boeing B75N1
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110519010259A
- Case key
- 79313
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 wind conditions.
Findings · 2
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 was entering the traffic pattern with the intent to land, when the wind direction shifted and the air traffic controller requested the pilot land on the opposite runway. According to the pilot, when the airplane was on final approach at approximately 20 feet above ground level, it experienced windshear and landed hard on the runway. Subsequently the airplane turned sharply left causing the right lower wing to contact the runway, damaging the main spar. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot was entering the pattern with the intent to land when the wind direction shifted and the air traffic controller requested the pilot land on the opposite runway. According to the pilot on short final at approximately 20 feet above ground level, the airplane experienced a wind shear and the plane landed hard on the runway. Subsequently the airplane turned sharply left causing the right lower wing to contact the runway, damaging the main spar. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine that would have precluded normal flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81235
- Reported as
- Boeing B75N1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-7990
- Airframe hours
- 190
- Engine
- Continental W670-6a, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2010 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- KTOA · Torrance, CA
- Destination
- KTOA · Torrance, CA
- Airport
- KTOA · Zamperini Field Airport, runway 29R, 5,000 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2010
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 672 total · 221 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KTOA
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 23, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 562 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.
Other investigations on N81235 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.