Glasair SHA N38WS

Summary

On 18 August 2018 at about 23:50 local time, a Glasair SHA registered N38WS was involved in an accident near Greenville, North Carolina, 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

18 August 2018 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Greenville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Pitt-Greenville (PGV)

Coordinates

35.6356, -77.3842

Aircraft

Glasair SHA

Registration

N38WS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1985

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ERA18LA224

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s misjudgment of the airplane’s glidepath during the forced landing, which resulted in the airplane touching down short of the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While the airplane was climbing through 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began running roughly and the fuel flow rate slowed. Shortly after reaching 3,500 ft msl, the engine lost total power. The pilot attempted a forced landing at a nearby airport; however, while in a spiral descent to land, he misjudged the airplane’s glidepath and landed in grass short of the runway. The airplane impacted a drainage ditch, resulting in substantial damage. A detailed examination of the engine and components was not conducted and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.