Casa Grande Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Casa Grande, Arizona 85222
Friday, April 9, 1999 10:46 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he listened to the automated weather and learned that the winds were from 280 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 25 knots. He attempted to land on runway 23 and said he carried some extra speed to account for the extra wind gusts. He said he encountered a wind gust, which lifted the airplane about 8 feet off the ground. He then decided to do a go-around but was unable to roll the wings level and thought he may have been below stall speed at that point. The left wing impacted the ground and the airplane cartwheeled. A CFI witness, who landed immediately prior to the accident, said as they landed their airplane the winds were gusting to 25-28 knots, and he estimated they had a 30-knot crosswind component. He said he saw the accident airplane on approach, and that it 'looked fast on final.' He said it appeared that it bounced several times prior to a wind gust picking up the right wing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1046
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CASA GRANDE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85222
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CASA GRANDE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KCGZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 230
Airport Elevation 1464
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1035 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID CGZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1464
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1420
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71TL
NTSB Number LAX99LA142
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Witzel
Aircraft Model GLASSAIR II FT
Aircraft Series Identifier GLASSAIR I
Aircraft Serial Number 1071
Certified Max Gross Weight 2100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 109
Airframe Hours 265
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANNY K. CLEARMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 4 BOX 27
Aircraft Owner City UNION
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39365
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City CARLSBAD
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KMDD
Destination City MIDLAND
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 5200
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --