Fernandes Dale R GLASAIR II S-FT N727DF

Summary

On 2 April 2022 at about 18:45 local time, a Fernandes Dale R GLASAIR II S-FT registered N727DF was involved in an accident near Saline Valley, California, 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

2 April 2022 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Saline Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Saline Valley Warm Springs Air (N/A)

Coordinates

36.8024, -117.7735

Aircraft

Fernandes Dale R GLASAIR II S-FT

Registration

N727DF

Category

Airplane

Year built

1997

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Carlos → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR22LA141

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to establish a controlled descent rate during 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

The pilot reported that, while on final approach, he reduced airspeed which resulted in a higher angle of attack and blocking his visibility of the approach threshold. The glide path steepened, and the airplane touched down short of the airstrip. The right main landing gear collided with a rock and sheared off. Shortly thereafter, the left main landing gear sheared off and the airplane slid down the runway substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.