Costal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pensacola, Florida 32513
Saturday, October 24, 1998 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot approached for landing in the motor glider without engine power. As he flared for landing he encountered what he described as either a wind gust or thermal which cause the aircraft to climb to about 40 feet. He pushed the aircraft's nose down to regain airspeed and then noticed he was running out of runway. He forced the aircraft onto the runway, landing hard.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The aircraft's uncontrolled climb after encountering a wind gust or thermal during landing flare without engine power resulting in the pilot having to force the aircraft onto the runway making a hard landing prior to the end of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PENSACOLA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32513
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COSTAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 83J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 110
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID PNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 121
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 8
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 835
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 26 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70136
NTSB Number MIA99LA015
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 Peters
Aircraft Model STROJNIK S2A
Aircraft Series Identifier STROJNIK S
Aircraft Serial Number 115
Certified Max Gross Weight 817
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 108
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVEN D. CENTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 BEL AIR CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City DAPHINE
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36526
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 83J
Departure City COSTAL
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2510
Runway Width 230
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --