History of Flight
On December 5, 2008, at approximately 1635 eastern standard time, a Flight Design CTSW special light sport airplane (S-LSA), registration N370CT, sustained substantial damage during a landing roll at Charlotte County Airport (PGD), Punta Gorda, Florida. The certificated sport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated he had been practicing touch-and-go landings and was on his third departure. As the airplane approached takeoff speed, a gust of wind caused it to veer right. He used flight controls to maintain the runway centerline. When the gust subsided, the airplane began fishtailing. The pilot reduced power and applied brakes while attempting to avoid oversteering. The airplane nearly stopped when the nose gear departed the left edge of the runway, sank into sand, and the airplane nosed over.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 58, held a sport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, issued November 15, 2007, which was also the date of his most recent biennial flight review. He reported no medical certificate and used his driver's license in lieu of one. He reported 146 total flight hours, with 103 hours in the accident airplane make and model as pilot-in-command.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane (serial number 05-10-01) was manufactured in Germany in 2005 and registered with the FAA on a special airworthiness certificate for light sport operations on December 29, 2005. It was powered by a 100-horsepower Rotax 912ULS engine with a 3-blade fixed-pitch Neuform CR3-65-47-101.6 propeller. The two-seat, single-engine land airplane had fixed tricycle landing gear and had accrued 176 flight hours. Maximum gross weight was 1,320 pounds; weight at the time of the accident was 1,020 pounds.
An FAA inspector examined the airplane and confirmed control continuity to all control surfaces from the control column and rudder pedals. The most recent annual inspection was completed on August 4, 2008, at which time the airframe had 175.9 hours. The engine had 175.9 total hours at the accident and 9 hours since the last inspection.
Meteorological Information
At 1353, recorded weather at PGD included variable winds at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 25°C, dew point 11°C, and altimeter 30.15 inches of mercury. Weather reports an hour before and after the accident showed calm winds.
Airport Information
PGD is an untowered airport. The runway used was Runway 33, a 5,688-foot-long, 150-foot-wide asphalt runway equipped with a precision approach path indicator (PAPI) on the left side. The traffic pattern was left-hand, and runway markings were non-precision but in good condition.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The nose gear strut was bent aft and to the left at its base. The firewall was buckled, and the airplane skin under the engine was crumpled. The composite structure of the wing tip was damaged, exposing the wing spar. The vertical stabilizer was damaged, and the rudder separated at the top hinge attachment. Propeller tips exhibited torsional bending consistent with ground contact while the engine was developing power. Examination of the passenger compartment revealed no breach in the support structure; seat pan and shoulder harness showed no stress or fractures. Damage was observed on the nose wheel, wing, vertical stabilizer, and firewall.
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.