Sport Plane Dynamics LIGHTNING N121L

Summary

On 24 October 2012 at about 17:40 local time, a Sport Plane Dynamics LIGHTNING registered N121L, operated by Sport Plane Dynamics LLC, was involved in an accident near Casa Grande, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 October 2012 at 17:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Casa Grande, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Casa Grande Municipal Airport (CSZ)

Coordinates

32.9547, -111.7667

Aircraft

Sport Plane Dynamics LIGHTNING

Registration

N121L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sport Plane Dynamics LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Glendale → Casa Grande

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13CA028

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to follow specified procedures for an aborted landing and loss of control during the attempt.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the landing flare with full flaps selected, the airplane landed hard and bounced back into the air. The pilot attempted to abort the landing by applying full power and retracting the flaps in an effort to regain airspeed. The pilot stated that he was unable to regain airspeed and kept the wings level until the airplane landed adjacent to the runway. Subsequently, the airplane struck a dirt berm and came to rest nose low. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing was structurally damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot operating handbook for the make/model of the accident airplane outlines a procedure for balked landings. The procedure states that the throttle should be placed full forward, the trim set as required, and flaps positioned to one-half and then retracted when operating above 80 miles per hour and 100 feet above ground level.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.