# NTSB WPR21LA246: Airborne Australia XT582, N8003K, Carson City, NV, June 24, 2021 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 24, 2021, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Carson City, NV · On airport - Coordinates: 39.192306, -119.73258 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1923&lon=-119.7326&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 103356 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA246 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103356/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103356 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA246 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Airborne Australia XT582, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05901MW), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The solo student pilot in the weight-shift-control aircraft reported that, during the landing, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind and veered left. The pilot applied full left brake during an attempted go-around, however the aircraft exited the runway and collided with a ditch. The left wing struck the ground and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8003K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8003K), registered now, S/N XT5820021, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBORNE AUSTRALIA XT582 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Airborne Australia XT582](https://openairdocs.org/model/airborne-australia-xt582) (registry code 05901MW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582UL DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582ul-dcdi) (registry code 55563, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: XT5820021 - Year built: 2006 - Engines: ROTAX 582UL DCDI 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Spiekermeier Mark A - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: KCXP, Carson City, NV - Destination: KCXP, KCXP, NV - Airport: CXP, Carson City Airport, runway 27, 6,100 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; student; seat: left ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: KCXP, 1 nm away - METAR: KCXP 241450Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 20/05 A3015 RMK AO2= ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20210624008159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210624008159A), Jun 24, 2021: Airborne Australia XT582, Carson City, NV, Substantial damage. During the third landing of a solo flight operation, the student pilot encountered a cross wind and lost control of his weight shift control trike upon… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103356. 427 KB in all. - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 134 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13373559&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=RECORD%20OF%20phone%20CONVERSATION-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation (student pilot) (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 163 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13606375&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20phone%20conversation%20(Student%20Pilot)%20WPR21LA246-Rel.pdf - Damage picture (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13605650&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20supplied%20picture%20WPR21LA246-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.