- Date
- June 21, 2013, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- McCall, ID
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N26HVAviat A-1A
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130621011349A
- Case key
- 87269
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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed while on approach for landing, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and a hard landing.
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 reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice landings with a certified flight instructor at various back country airstrips. After three uneventful landings, the pilot circled over a fourth landing strip and noted that she needed to maintain the airplane’s minimum approach airspeed to be able to land on the short runway; she then entered the traffic pattern. While on short final, about 25 feet above the ground, the airplane stalled and started to descend. The pilot added power; however, the airplane subsequently landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the purpose of the flight was to practice landings with a certified flight instructor at various back country airstrips. After three uneventful landings, the pilot circled over a fourth landing strip and noted that she needed to maintain the airplane’s minimum approach airspeed to be able to land on the short runway; she then entered the traffic pattern. While on short final, about 25 feet above the ground, the airplane stalled and started to descend. The pilot added power; however, the airplane subsequently landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26HV
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1410
- Airframe hours
- 971
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Victoria Benzing
- Registered owner
- Jeffrey and Victoria Benzing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2013 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- MYL · McCall, ID
- Destination
- MYL · McCall, ID
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- I99D · Dewey Moore Airstrip, runway 28, 700 × 30 ft, gravel
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 10, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,167 total · 64 in this make and model · 6,109 as pilot in command · 127 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 79
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- MYL, 47 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB 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 N26HV · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.