Grand Canyon National Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023
Thursday, May 15, 2014 16:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he entered a right traffic pattern and established 80 knots on final approach. During the final approach he reduced engine power to idle and began to flare the airplane. The pilot stated that he believed that he flared higher than normal and he held a steady pitch attitude. As the airspeed decreased the airplane unexpectedly dropped and impacted the runway hard. The pilot lost directional control and the airplane skidded off the runway into a grassy area. The subsequent impact resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage and rudder. The pilot report no preimpact malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/15/2014
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Grand Canyon
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86023
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 355708N
Event Location Longitude 1120849W
Event Location Airport GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GCN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 171
Airport Elevation 6609
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1654 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 226
Weather Observation Facility ID KGCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 6606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.3
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KGCN 152354Z 31008KT 10SM CLR 24/M12 A3030 R
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33019
NTSB Notification Source FAA WP Operation Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2014 4:14PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N521SH
NTSB Number WPR14CA193
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 KALMAN GEORGE
Aircraft Model LANCAIR 360
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0383
Certified Max Gross Weight 1785
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 1010
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WATTS JACKIE C
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BORGER
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 790078221
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name WATTS JACKIE C
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City BORGER
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 790078221
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 ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GCN
Destination City GRAND CANYON
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2014 4:14PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length 8999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --