- Date
- January 25, 2015, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hanford, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N559KCFlight Design Ctls
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20150125001829A
- Case key
- 90660
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 flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 1
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 was on a straight-in approach for landing during touchdown; the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot attempted to land the airplane for the second time; however, the airplane's nose dropped, resulting in a second bounce. The pilot made a decision to go around and added power. During the takeoff, the airplane bounced again and then lifted off. The second landing attempt resulted in another hard landing. The pilot initiated another go-around and landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. In the section titled "RECOMMENDATION" in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had more experience flying this type and model of an airplane. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operations.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was on a straight-in approach for landing during touchdown; the airplane landed hard and bounced. The pilot attempted to land the airplane for the second time; however, the airplane's nose dropped, resulting in a second bounce. The pilot made a decision to go around and added power. During the takeoff, the airplane bounced again and then lifted off. The second landing attempt resulted in another hard landing. The pilot initiated another go-around and landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. In the section titled "RECOMMENDATION" in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had more experience flying this type and model of an airplane. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N559KC
- Reported as
- Flight Design Ctls
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- F-14-07-03
- Engine
- Rotax 012, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Kings County Ca Sheriff
- Registered owner
- Kings County Ca Sheriff
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed
- PTV · Porterville, CA
- Destination
- HJO · Hanford, CA
- Airport
- HJO · Hanford Muni, runway 32, 5,179 × 75 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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,300 total · 16 in this make and model · 4,900 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KHJO, 15 nm away
Docket · 9
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 4, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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.