Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baldwin City, Kansas 66006
Sunday, June 1, 2008 16:26 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 280-hour flight instructor was providing a 137-hour private pilot instruction in a weight-shift experimental light sport aircraft so he could obtain a sport pilot rating. The instructor said that they were both at the control bar as the pilot was practicing a normal approach to land. However, when the airplane was about 50 feet above the ground, the wind started to push the airplane to the left of the centerline. The pilot was unable to get the airplane back on course with the runway and the instructor attempted to take over the controls. There was not a positive exchange of controls and the airplane drifted further to the left and rapidly approached power lines, buildings, and trees. The instructor realized that they would be unable to out climb these obstacles and elected to fly the airplane onto the ground under the power lines. The airplane subsequently collided with a mailbox and a hangar resulting in substantial damage to the airplane's wing. The buggy, a landing gear strut, the propeller, and windshield were also damaged. The pilot reported there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane or the engine. The instructor stated that once the airplane started drifting off centerline, the landing should have been aborted and a go-around executed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment and the instructor's delayed remedial action to abort the landing, which resulted in a collision with a mailbox and hangar. A factor was the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/1/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1626
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Baldwin City
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66006
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385009N
Event Location Longitude 0951134W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23786
NTSB Notification Source Robert Lundquist
NTSB Notification Date Jun 1 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2008 11:48AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Kansas City, KS

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43865
NTSB Number DFW08CA158
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aeros
Aircraft Model Venture
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number GS-001
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert S. Sundquist
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Paola
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code K64
Departure City Baldwin City
Departure State KS
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Jun 11 2008 3:14PM
User who most recently changed record GAMW
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --