Summary
On October 20, 2012, a Quicksilver Mfg MXL II SPORT (N187AB) was involved in an accident near Live Oak, CA. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury, with 1 person uninjured out of 2 aboard. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to compensate for turbulent conditions, which resulted in a loss of altitude.
The pilot reported he departed the airstrip and experienced light turbulence. He entered a left traffic pattern to the downwind leg and the turbulence stopped. After executing a touch-and-go landing the pilot departed to the south. Subsequently, between 50 and 100 feet above ground level (AGL) he began to lose lift. The pilot landed the airplane in a rice field and it nosed over as the wheels contacted the vegetation. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR13CA019. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N187AB.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to compensate for turbulent conditions, which resulted in a loss of altitude.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported he departed the airstrip and experienced light turbulence. He entered a left traffic pattern to the downwind leg and the turbulence stopped. After executing a touch-and-go landing the pilot departed to the south. Subsequently, between 50 and 100 feet above ground level (AGL) he began to lose lift. The pilot landed the airplane in a rice field and it nosed over as the wheels contacted the vegetation. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR13CA019