General Wm J Fox Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lancaster, California 93534
Wednesday, May 31, 2000 12:32 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a series of high-speed runway taxi tests, a gust of wind caused the airplane to become airborne and veer to the right of centerline. Due to the insufficient remaining runway, the pilot added full power and continued the initial climb out within the traffic pattern. On the landing flare, a gust of wind raised the nose of the airplane reducing the airspeed, and the canard pitch authority became inadequate. The airplane struck the runway with the canard tip mounted wheels, porpoised three times, then departed the runway and came to rest nose down. Recorded winds were from 240 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 14 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while attempting to land in gusty wind conditions leading to an inadvertent stall/mush, which resulted in a porpoise and subsequent loss of directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1232
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LANCASTER
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93534
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport GENERAL WM J FOX AIRFIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID WJF
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 2347
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1232 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID WJF
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 86
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 39
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 10274
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 31 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1340
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N22EX
NTSB Number LAX00LA210
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 Hilyard
Aircraft Model DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Series Identifier DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Serial Number 098
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 Oct 21 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 144
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER C. HILYARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City CANYON COUNTRY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91351
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code WJF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Jul 16 2001 8:28AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 7201
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --