Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Gulfport/Biloxi International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gulfport, Mississippi 39501
Friday, September 21, 2012 10:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the experimental weight-shift control aircraft stated that he was returning to the departure airport after an uneventful 90-minute test flight. During the landing approach, the aircraft encountered a gust of wind, then "violently" pitched up, rolled to the right, nosed over, and impacted the ground. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the wings and nose. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal aircraft operation. The pilot stated that he believed that this was a “freak” accident caused by unanticipated turbulence over the runway at the time of touchdown.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control after an unexpected wind gust/turbulence encounter during landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/21/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1000 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gulfport |
| Event State | MISSISSIPPI |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 39501 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 302416N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0890407W |
| Event Location Airport | Gulfport/Biloxi International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GPT |
| 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 | 28 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1004 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GPT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 28 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SPECI KGPT 211504Z 06005KT 10SM CLR 26/17 A3004 RM |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30967 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2013 2:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N86862 |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA570 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | FLY HARD TRIKE INC |
| Aircraft Model | SKYCYCLE STING RAY |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | T10247 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 992 |
| Aircraft Category | -- |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 3 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4 |
| Airframe Hours | 5 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LINDORFER JOHN H |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LONG BEACH |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 39560-5603 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | LINDORFER JOHN H |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | LONG BEACH |
| Operator State | MS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 39560-5603 |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | GPT |
| Departure City | Gulfport |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 840 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | GPT |
| Destination City | Gulfport |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2013 2:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gots |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 4935 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |