Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Louisville, Kentucky
NTSB Identification: ERA16CA290
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, August 12, 2016 in London, KY
Probable Cause Approval Date: 05/15/2017
Aircraft: KESSINGER ROGER L RANS COYOTE, registration: N910RK
Injuries: 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
After a 1-hour local flight during which he familiarized himself with the airplane’s stall characteristics, the student pilot/owner of the experimental light sport airplane returned to his home airport to practice touch-and-go landings. The airplane bounced during the final landing attempt, and while recovering, the student applied full power to the engine for a go-around. The student stated that the airplane then banked to the right due to the engine’s counter-clockwise rotation “p factor effect” and began heading toward a hangar located off the right side of the runway. Due to the airplane’s low altitude and airspeed, the student chose to continue the right turn to avoid colliding with the hangar, and once clear of it, tried to climb the airplane to clear an approaching tree line; however, the airplane’s right wing struck one of the trees. The airplane then impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe and serious injuries to the pilot.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. He attributed the loss of control during the go-around attempt to his unfamiliarity with the flight characteristics of the counter-clockwise rotation of the airplane’s two-stroke engine and his lack of flight experience in experimental light sport airplanes.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees during an attempted go-around.
After a 1 hour local flight where he explored the airplane's stall characteristics, the student pilot/owner of the experimental light sport airplane returned to his home airport to practice touch-and-go landings. The pilot "bounced" the airplane during the final landing attempt, and while recovering applied full power to the engine for a go around. The pilot stated that the airplane then banked to the right as a result of the counterclockwise rotating-engine's "p factor effect," and began heading toward a hangar located off the right side of the runway. Due to the airplane's low altitude and airspeed, the pilot elected to continue the right turn to avoid colliding with the hangar, and once clear of it, tried to climb the airplane to clear an approaching tree line. The pilot was unsuccessful in this attempt and the airplane's right wing struck one of the trees. The airplane then impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe and seriously injuring the pilot.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane or its engine that would have precluded normal operation. He further attributed the loss of control during the go around attempt to his unfamiliarity with the flight characteristics of the counter clockwise rotation of the airplane's two-stroke engine, and his lack of flight experience in experimental light sport airplanes.
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