# NTSB WPR22LA310: Stucker Gary Banty, N995GS, Camarillo, CA, August 18, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 18, 2022, 13:40 local (20:40 UTC) - Place: Camarillo, CA - Coordinates: 34.213579, -119.08715 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2136&lon=-119.0871&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 105764 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA310 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105764/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105764 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA310 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Stucker Gary BANTY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=05602UN), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Stucker Gary BANTY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05602UN), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Stucker Gary BANTY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05602UN), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Stucker Gary BANTY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=05602UN), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Stucker Gary BANTY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05602UN), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Stucker Gary BANTY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05602UN), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The accident occurred as the pilot was taking off from an ultralight runway. Portions of the takeoff and accident were captured on a security video. The airplane became airborne and, as seen in the video, it entered a climbing left turn. As the airplane ascended to about treetop level, the bank angle increased greater than 60° as the airplane turned about 90° off the runway heading. The airplane then descended out of view behind trees. The airplane came to rest inverted on top of an airport hangar and was substantially damaged. The pilot stated he had not flown the airplane for years and could not recall what happened during the flight. A witness stated that the pilot told him after the accident that he stalled the airplane and that there was nothing wrong with the airplane. Examination of the wreckage found no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The accident sequence is consistent with the pilot banking excessively after takeoff, which resulted in the airplane exceeding the critical angle of attack at a slow airspeed and stalling. ## Factual narrative On August 18, 2022, at 1340 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Banty airplane, N995GS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Camarillo, California. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Airport security video captured the airplane as it departed to the west from the ultralight runway at Camarillo Airport. The airplane became airborne and began an immediate climbing left turn. The airplane climbed to about treetop level, with an increase in bank angle to greater than 60° as the airplane completed about 90° of turn (see figure). The airplane then descended from view behind trees. The wreckage came to rest inverted on top of an airport hangar. Figure. Picture of Takeoff (Security Video Capture) The pilot, who held the repairman certificate for N995GS and was the only person authorized to sign off maintenance, told a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he was asked to fly the airplane and troubleshoot repair work to the flaps. However, he could not produce a record showing what work had been done or by whom. When asked specifically if he was performing a test flight on the airplane, he said he could not recall why he was there and he did not know what happened during the flight. The pilot also stated he had not flown this model airplane “for many years.” A witness to the accident, who was familiar with the airplane, said he spoke to the pilot following the accident and the pilot told him he “perceived the runway was too small,” and turned to the left after takeoff and stalled the airplane. The pilot also told him that there was nothing wrong with the airplane. The witness also assisted in the relocation of the wreckage and stated he did not [observe anything unusual or abnormal] with the airplane. A FAA inspector who responded to the accident found no airworthiness issues. A review of the pilot’s most recent logbook did not reveal any entries for flights in the accident airplane make and model between the first logbook entry in April 2020 and the date of the accident. No airplane maintenance logbooks were recovered during the investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N995GS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N995GS), registered now, S/N 1285, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: STUCKER GARY BANTY - Registry model: [Stucker Gary BANTY](https://openairdocs.org/model/stucker-gary-banty) (registry code 05602UN) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Ultralight, amateur-built - Serial number: 1285 - Year built: 1999 - Engines: BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL) reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Airport: CMA, Camarillo - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 81; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 15, 2017; seat: single; flight hours: 1,965 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KCMA - METAR: KCMA 182055Z 24009KT 10SM CLR 21/14 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP140 T02060139 58009 ## 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 20220818014709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220818014709A), Aug 18, 2022: Stucker Gary BANTY, Camarillo, CA, Destroyed. Aircraft [privacy data omitted] crashed under unknown circumstances immediately after takeoff. Aircraft impacted one corner of the roof on ultralight hangar 8… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 15, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105764. 227 MB in all. - Record of conversation _ witness (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15362676&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Phone%20Conversation_Chicco-Rel.pdf - FAA record of conversations (item 2, PDF, 7 pages, 789 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15320622&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Records%20of%20Conversation%20Binder_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Video file (item 3, MP4, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14439676&FileExtension=mp4&FileName=Ultra%20Light%20H3%20Video-Rel.mp4 - Memorandum of record - FAA report extract (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15320426&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR-FAA%20Report-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 5, PDF, 10 pages, 10 photos, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15335927&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - Pilot logbook and records (item 6, PDF, 16 pages, 219 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15361923&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Records_Redacted-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.