Arion Skys Open Sport LIGHTNING N481SL

Summary

On 24 August 2016 at about 19:00 local time, a Arion Skys Open Sport LIGHTNING registered N481SL was involved in an accident near St. Augustine, Florida, United States. One person was 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 August 2016 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Augustine, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Northeast Florida Rgnl (SGJ)

Coordinates

29.9592, -81.3397

Aircraft

Arion Skys Open Sport LIGHTNING

Registration

N481SL

Category

Airplane

Year built

2011

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Shelbyville → St. Augustine

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA502

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot of the experimental light-sport airplane, following a personal flight, he made a straight-in approach to runway 13. He recalled that the tower reported the wind as 070° at 12 knots. During the approach, the airplane encountered "convective turbulence," but he established a stabilized approach over the runway centerline. He remarked that, about 5 ft above the runway, the airplane encountered what he estimated to be a 20-knot or greater wind gust. He reported that the airplane ballooned and touched down on the nosewheel, the propeller struck the ground, and he used differential braking to stop the airplane on the runway. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane, and the engine mounts and the spar box sustained substantial damage. The METAR at the accident airport indicated that, at the time of the accident, the wind was 040° true at 12 knots. There were no METARs throughout the day at the accident airport that indicated wind gusts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have prevented normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.