Craig R Merrill LUTON BETA N545CM

Summary

On 21 October 2000 at about 14:50 local time, a Craig R Merrill LUTON BETA registered N545CM was involved in an accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 October 2000 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Ridgeland, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Ridgeland (3J1)

Coordinates

32.4807, -80.9797

Aircraft

Craig R Merrill LUTON BETA

Registration

N545CM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA01LA014

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on final approach resulting in the aircraft settling fast, touching down hard, and colliding with an embankment on the side of the runway, where it came to rest inverted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that during landing approach the aircraft settled faster than he anticipated and landed hard. The aircraft then bounced and went to the right where it went down an embankment and turned over inverted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.