Wood GLASAIR SH2 N51AJ

Summary

On 10 September 1998 at about 19:00 local time, a Wood GLASAIR SH2 registered N51AJ was involved in an accident near Holly Hill, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 September 1998 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Holly Hill, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Holly Hill (5J5)

Coordinates

33.3208, -80.4093

Aircraft

Wood GLASAIR SH2

Registration

N51AJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA98LA245

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, and his failure to perform a go-around. The pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance during the landing is a contributing factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had landed, and elected to abort and go around. According to witnesses, the airplane had landed long and could not make a complete stop on the available runway. The aircraft bounced three times and on the third bounce the pilot lowered the tail wheel, and the main landing gear came off the ground., The pilot attempted a go around and powered up with 300 feet of runway remaining. He attempted to clear trees at the end of the runway by pulling the nose up abruptly, then pushing the nose over after clearing the trees. At this point the engine quit momentarily. The airplane impacted the ground on fairway No. 3 at a golf course, and came to rest at the base of a pine tree. Examination of the wreckage revealed that no obvious discrepancies were found in the fuel system or the engine. Fuel was found, and examination of the carburetor and fuel pump did not show any discrepancies. The FAA inspector stated, '...the pilot was released from the hospital on September 20, 1998. All attempts to talk to [him] have failed...it appears after checking with Airman and Aircraft records [the pilot] was operating his aircraft with a non-current registration and with a denied medical.' The pilot did not return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, and his account of the accident are not known.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.