On 24 Jul 2009, a Xtremeair GMBH XP-30/2002339 was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Ynez, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
The pilot of an experimental tailwheel airplane reported touching down too fast, leading to a veer off the runway and collision with a ditch, causing substantial damage to the right wing.
Accident Overview
The pilot of an experimental tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during landing, he touched down at an excessive speed. Upon applying brake pressure, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot attempted to correct with control inputs, which caused the airplane to swerve to the left. The aircraft subsequently departed the runway surface and collided with a ditch.
Damage and Inspection
The collision resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot stated that no mechanical anomalies were present in the airplane’s engine or flight control systems. This was the pilot’s first flight in the airplane.
Contributing factors
Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot