N801SX

Substantial
Minor

Smith Douglas J. SonexS/N: 0801

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
NTSB Number
GAA17CA171
Location
Mercey Hot Springs, CA
Event ID
20170306X22248
Coordinates
36.706390, -120.860000
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The sport pilot’s unstabilized approach with a tailwind, which resulted in touchdown short of the runway and a subsequent nose-over.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N801SX
Make
SMITH DOUGLAS J.
Serial Number
0801
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2008
Model / ICAO
SonexA1
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
4888 W AERONCA ST
Status
Deregistered
City
BOISE
State / Zip Code
ID 83705-5056
Country
United States

Analysis

The sport pilot reported that he was landing to an airfield and over flew the runway multiple times in search of a wind sock. He watched another airplane land to the south and he made his approach to the south also. He reported that his altitude was too high during his first approach and aborted the landing. He asserted that, "This should have alerted me that there was a tail wind." He flew one traffic pattern and made a second approach with the power at idle and full flaps. He established his approach but the airplane sank quickly and touched down short of the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the canopy, the vertical stabilizer and the rudder.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

According to the Airport Facility Directory, the airfield is equipped with a wind indicator. However, no wind indicator could be located on or near the airfield by the NTSB investigator-in-charge.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA171