No fatalities

19 Apr 2014: FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTSW — Bloomington, IN

Bloomington, IN, United States

On 19 Apr 2014, a FLIGHT DESIGN GMBH CTSW was involved in an aviation accident near Bloomington, IN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane while landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

Pilot reports loss of lift during landing approach in gusty winds, resulting in a hard landing, bounce, porpoising, and damage to the nosewheel and firewall.

Incident Details

A pilot experienced control difficulties during a landing approach to runway 17 in gusty wind conditions. The pilot reported that winds were gusting from 14 to 19 knots. As the pilot reduced airspeed, the airplane "lost lift and began to drop rapidly." The pilot applied full power, but the airplane landed hard, bounced, and then porpoised on the runway.

Damage

The hard landing and subsequent porpoising caused the nosewheel landing gear to bend aft, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Wind Conditions

Wind recorded at the time of the incident was 090 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The pilot's perception of gusts up to 19 knots differs from the recorded data.

No Injuries Reported

The source does not indicate any injuries to occupants or other persons.

Probable Cause

No probable cause is stated in the source.

Conclusion

The incident involved a loss of lift during a gusty approach, leading to a hard landing and subsequent damage. The aircraft's systems were reported to have no pre-existing anomalies.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation