- Date
- July 9, 2020, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ramona, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N980WCAir Creation/Sides Rick A Manta 503
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200709008059A
- Case key
- 101747
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 solo student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent nose over.
Findings · 4
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 solo student pilot of a weight shift control aircraft reported that, while on final approach to land, turbulence increased with a moderate crosswind. The student pilot increased the approach speed to compensate for the turbulence. On touch down the aircraft bounced about 3 ft and he attempted to compensate for the turbulence and crosswind and forced the aircraft down. The aircraft was not aligned with the runway heading on the second touch down and the nose wheel dug in. The aircraft subsequently nosed over. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wing. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot of a weight shift control aircraft reported that, while on final approach to land, turbulence increased with a moderate crosswind. The student pilot increased the approach speed to compensate for the turbulence. On touch down the aircraft bounced about 3 ft and he attempted to compensate for the turbulence and crosswind and forced the aircraft down. The aircraft was not aligned with the runway heading on the second touch down and the nose wheel dug in. The aircraft subsequently nosed over. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the wing. The student pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N980WC
- Reported as
- Air Creation/Sides Rick A Manta 503 (No Series)
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- M503-08-002
- Built
- 2008
- Engine
- Rotax 503DCSI, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 1, 2019 · 344 hours before
- Departed
- HMT · Hemet, CA
- Destination
- KRNM · Ramona, CA
- Airport
- KRNM · Ramona, runway 27, 5,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Airframe parachute, 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 278 total · 12 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KRNM
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 819 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.