Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Las Vegas, Nevada
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Light Sport Aviation LLC
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Accident Number: WPR20CA260
Date & Time: August 9, 2020, 10:00 Local
Registration: N644SB
Aircraft: Evektor Aerotechnik SPORTSTAR
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional
Analysis
The solo student pilot reported that during the landing roll, she was not ready to turn off the runway when the tower controller instructed her to exit the runway at taxiway "C". The pilot tried to follow the controller's instruction and made a turn at the taxiway. During the turn, the left wing was substantially damaged when it struck a taxiway sign.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The student pilot's inadequate decision to make a premature turn onto a taxiway which resulted in a collision with a taxiway sign.
Findings
Personnel issues Decision making/judgment - Student/instructed pilot
Personnel issues Incorrect action selection - Student/instructed pilot
Environmental issues Sign/marker - Effect on operation
Factual Information
History of Flight
Landing-landing roll Miscellaneous/other
Landing-landing roll Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) (Defining event)
Student pilot Information
Certificate: Student
Age: 19,Female
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: November 27, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) 32 hours (Total, all aircraft), 32 hours (Total, this make and model), 1 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 20 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Evektor Aerotechnik
Registration: N644SB
Model/Series: SPORTSTAR No Series
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2006
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Special light-sport (Special)
Serial Number: 2006 0702
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: July 1, 2020 100 hour
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1320 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3038 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Rotax
ELT: C91A installed, activated, aided in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: 912/ULS
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 100 Horsepower
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KVGT,2203 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 17:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 313°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 14 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 160°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.93 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 39°C / -12°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Las Vegas, NV (VGT)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Las Vegas, NV (VGT)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 09:44 Local
Type of Airspace: Class D
Airport Information
Airport: North Las Vegas VGT
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 2205 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 12R
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5000 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop;Traffic pattern
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 36.210834,-115.194442(est)
I hope you continue your flight training and use what occurred as a training situation that you survived and overcame. You did a good job based on your second solo at a busy towered airport, with very few flight hours.
ReplyDeleteAlso looks like she gleaned some sensible/futurely-useful (and correct, IMO) bits of info from an unfortunate incident...a mark of a pilot with motivation to learn from their (and others') mistakes. May the trait serve her well in the years ahead...
DeleteT/F Airports without a control tower or if the tower is closed are "Uncontrolled Airports " ? We say FALSE because the arriving, departing and taxiing aircraft manage THE TRAFFIC FLOW USING ROW rules, COMMON SENSE AND GOOD JUDGEMENT the same rules Tower personal use.
ReplyDeleteThe best terminology recommended by FASTA USA - i.e. Federal Air & Surface Transportation Alliance [ FASTA ) is an airport without a control tower or if the tower is closed is PILOT Controlled! or managed.
P.S. Telling a Student Pilot that they must always be “ IN CONTROL “ is a powerful message in the air and at airports with or without an operating control tower.
We need an an expanded ADS-B ROW that covers all elements of special VFR, IFR …
This accident did not occur on landing. The student had completed her landing and was told to exit on "C" taxiway. Being a new student on her second solo, she attemped to follow the tower's instructions and exit and was going to fast. When she reconized this she attemped to turn back on the runway and struck a sign. In my opinion, the tower was at falt as they know she was a solo student and shoul not have told her to exit when she was going too fast to make the turn onto "C" taxiway. They now issue turnoff instructions with the phrase "Exit if Able".
ReplyDelete