First Flight Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina 27948
Sunday, March 23, 2014 10:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the sport pilot, while turning from the left base to the final leg of the approach for runway 2, with engine power reduced to "near" idle, a gust of wind came from the right and the airplane lost altitude. He attempted to recover the altitude loss by rolling the airplane to a wing level attitude and adding full power; however, the airplane impacted the top of a tree. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the wings, fuselage, and tail section were substantially damaged. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. Around the time of the accident, the wind at the airport was from 020 degrees at 12 knots with gust to 19 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing approach in gusty wind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/23/2014
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Kill Devil Hills
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 27948
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 360104N
Event Location Longitude 0754010W
Event Location Airport FIRST FLIGHT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 107
Airport Elevation 13
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1035 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID KFFA
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32687
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern C-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 5 2014 2:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90650
NTSB Number ERA14CA165
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 FANTASY AIR SRO
Aircraft Model ALLEGRO 2000
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 06-235
Certified Max Gross Weight 2449
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 --
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 HEMPSTEAD DOUGLAS M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City HENRICO
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 278429209
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name HEMPSTEAD DOUGLAS M
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City HENRICO
Operator State NC
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 278429209
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TTA
Departure City Sanford
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FFA
Destination City Kill Devil Hills
Destination State NC
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 5 2014 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --