Pilot Debrief

NTBK Wag Aero Sport near Oxford, IA — 2008-08-21

Final reportCHI08CA261
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Date
2008-08-21
Location
Oxford, IA, USA
Airport
IA24
Aircraft
NTBK Wag Aero Sport
Registration
N141ST
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot misjudged his approach path which resulted in insufficient altitude and the subsequent failure to maintain clearance with the trees. Contributing to the accident were the trees and the dusk lighting conditions.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the total runway length is 4,800 feet, the northern 1,400 feet of which is grass and the southern 2,400 feet is asphalt. He reported that he was practicing touch and go landings on the grass portion of the runway when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he made three touch and go landings, and decided to make one more before it got too dark. He stated that the final approach descent path appeared to be above the low-lying trees. He stated that he did not realize he was too low until he felt a "sharp blow" to the airplane and the airplane rotated to the right descending to the ground. The pilot reported that he should have realized that "...landing as close to the trees as I intended was unsafe" when the runway lights came on while he was on final approach.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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