Gastonia Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gastonia, North Carolina 28053
Saturday, February 9, 1991 14:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN ON A LOCAL, PERSONAL FLIGHT. HE RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED ON THE NORTHEAST RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER HE HAD MADE A SMOOTH TWO-POINT LANDING, A GUST OF WIND PICKED UP THE AIRPLANE AND DROPPED IT HARD ON THE RUNWAY. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE PILOT STATED TO HIM THAT HE LANDED HARD, BOUNCED, AND HIT AGAIN ON THE NOSE GEAR. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY WAS 10 MILES EAST AND REPORTED THE WINDS AS 290 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, WHICH RESULTED IN A 13-KNOT CROSSWIND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GASTONIA
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28053
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GASTONIA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0A6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 803
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1470
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44262
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:20AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3353H
NTSB Number ATL91LA056
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 Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415C
Aircraft Series Identifier 415C
Aircraft Serial Number 148537
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Feb 3 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 2304
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAIGLER, GRAGEL L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 815 NOLES DR.
Aircraft Owner City MT. HOLLY
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28120
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAIGLER, GRAGEL L.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 815 NOLES DR.
Operator City MT. HOLLY
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28120
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 3506
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --