No fatalities

6 Oct 2017: ULTRALIGHT AMERICA SPITFIRE II NO SERIES — Camarillo, CA

Camarillo, CA, United States

On 6 Oct 2017, an ULTRALIGHT AMERICA SPITFIRE II NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Camarillo, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to track the runway centerline during an attempted go-around, which resulted in impact with a hangar. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a familiarization flight, a pilot experienced a left turning tendency, kept power high causing coolant overheat, and attempted a precautionary landing. After a bounce and go-around, the airplane struck a hangar roof and sustained substantial damage.

Flight and Incident

The pilot was on a familiarization flight. After takeoff, a strong left turning tendency was noted. The pilot kept the engine power at a higher, time-limited setting, which caused the coolant temperature to exceed the maximum operating temperature of 180°F. No performance degradation was observed.

Decision and Landing Attempt

Concerned about possible engine power loss due to overheating, the pilot chose to make a precautionary landing. During the landing, the airplane bounced, prompting the pilot to initiate a go-around.

Collision and Damage

During the go-around, the airplane struck a hangar roof approximately 75 feet left of the runway centerline. The airplane then came to rest on the opposite side of the hangar. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings and the fuselage.

Mechanical Condition

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

Contributing factors

PilotEffect on operation