Summary
On November 02, 2019, a Icon A5 (N59WE) was involved in an incident near Chester, CT. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach angle in dark night conditions, which resulted in a collision with treetops and a subsequent hard landing.
The pilot reported that during a night flight, the ceiling was overcast at 5,000ft above ground level, but the visibility was greater than 10 statute miles. During the turn from base to final, the airplane's approach angle was high, and the pilot reported that it was "very dark." He reported that he had "adjusted his approach angle, but prior to reaching the runway, the airplane's right wing collided with treetops.
The airplane rotated to the right, and he added power to align the airplane with the runway. He recalled that it was difficult to perceive the airplane's altitude above the runway because of the airplane's nose high attitude, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA20CA068. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N59WE.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach angle in dark night conditions, which resulted in a collision with treetops and a subsequent hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that during a night flight, the ceiling was overcast at 5,000ft above ground level, but the visibility was greater than 10 statute miles. During the turn from base to final, the airplane's approach angle was high, and the pilot reported that it was "very dark." He reported that he had "adjusted his approach angle, but prior to reaching the runway, the airplane's right wing collided with treetops.
The airplane rotated to the right, and he added power to align the airplane with the runway. He recalled that it was difficult to perceive the airplane's altitude above the runway because of the airplane's nose high attitude, and the airplane landed hard on the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane exited the left side of the runway. The airplane continued across the grass safety area and "down off a 6-foot retaining wall." The airplane came to rest upright on the parallel taxiway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the lower fuselage and the empennage.
The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm, and the ceiling was overcast at 4,900ft above ground level.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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# GAA20CA068