Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airpo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bridgeport, Connecticut 06497
Saturday, April 2, 2011 19:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he was landing to the west during the late afternoon. As he flared the airplane, he lost his visual reference with the ground due to the sun's glare, momentarily blinding him. He initiated a go-around; however, the airplane landed hard and bounced airborne three times, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and nose section. He reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. According to data from the United States Naval Observatory, official sunset was at 1919. According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, about the time of the accident, the sun would have been about 275 degrees magnetic and about 2 degrees above the horizon.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delayed decision to perform a go-around which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/2/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1905
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Bridgeport
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06497
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 490952N
Event Location Longitude 0730704W
Event Location Airport Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airpo
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BDR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 9
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1852 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BDR
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.53
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28411
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 15 2011 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N100HA
NTSB Number ERA11CA226
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model U206C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number U206-0930
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 6
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAGERSTOWN AIRCRAFT SERVICES INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City HAGERSTOWN
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21742-1331
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name HAGERSTOWN AIRCRAFT SERVICES INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City HAGERSTOWN
Operator State MD
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 21742-1331
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GAI
Departure City Gaithersburg
Departure State MD
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1714
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code BDR
Destination City Bridgeport
Destination State CT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2011 9:23AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length 4761
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --