Pilot Debrief

Stoddard Hamilton GLASAIR II near Laramie, WY — 2018-10-27

Final reportGAA19CA044
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Date
2018-10-27
Location
Laramie, WY, USA
Airport
LAR
Aircraft
Stoddard Hamilton GLASAIR II
Registration
N505YR
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper pitch attitude during landing at night, which resulted in a porpoised landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot-rated owner reported that, after purchasing the airplane and receiving initial training the day before and the morning of the accident, he and a pilot-rated friend departed for a cross-country flight to their home airport. He added that, after nearly 9 hours of flying, the pilot-rated friend, who was manipulating the flight controls, offered to land at the destination airport because he had landed there before. The horizon was becoming dark, and they attempted to adjust the panel lights for the instruments but realized that the lights were not functioning, so the owner used a flashlight to illuminate the instruments for the landing. During the landing, the nose landing gear contacted the ground first, and the airplane porpoised. The second bounce was more severe, so the pilot initiated a go-around to no avail. The owner added that, during the third bounce, the airplane exited the runway to the left and then came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and fuselage. The owner reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport’s automated weather observation system reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 270° at 11 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 30.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to land at a different airport with better conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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