- Date
- March 21, 2020, 12:18 local (19:18 UTC)
- Place
- Puyallup, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N914MSJust JA30 Superstol
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20200321001309A
- Case key
- 101098
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 airplane control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in the wing striking the ground.
Findings · 3
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, just before touchdown, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left, which caused the airplane to weathervane to the right and the left wing to rise. The pilot applied left aileron control and full power but was unable to maintain control. The right wingtip impacted the ground, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that just before touchdown, the airplane encountered a gust of wind from the left, which caused the airplane to weathervane to the right and the left wing being lifted up. The pilot applied left aileron control and full power but was unable to maintain control of the airplane. The airplane's right wing tip impacted the ground, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N914MS
- Reported as
- Just JA30 Superstol (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JA370-04-14
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 115.6
- Engine
- Rotax 914 UL, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PLU · Puyallup, WA
- Destination
- PLU · Puyallup, WA
- Airport
- PLU · Pierce County - Thun Field, runway 35, 3,651 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- June 11, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 339.6 total · 171 in this make and model · 208.6 as pilot in command · 17.6 in the last 90 days · 5.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KPLU
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 676 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.