Smith S-51D N51VS

Summary

On 12 September 2004 at about 14:50 local time, a Smith S-51D registered N51VS was involved in an accident near Lancaster, 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

12 September 2004 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Lancaster, California, United States

Nearest airport

William J Fox (KWJF)

Coordinates

34.7400, -118.2200

Aircraft

Smith S-51D

Registration

N51VS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lancaster → Lancaster

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04CA316

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's misjudged landing flare, failure to correct the descent rate, and failure to execute a go-around during an unstablized landing approach.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane impacted the runway in a 3-point attitude, the main landing gear forks fractured, and the airplane skidded off the right side of the runway. The pilot/owner/builder had just recently completed fabricating the airplane, and the purpose of the flight was to develop emergency procedures for engine out landings. The pilot configured the airplane with the landing gear down, flaps up, and the engine at 3,800 rpm (1,784 propeller rpm). He would perform the maneuver at 110 knots. The first attempt left him rolling onto final 1/4 mile short of the runway, so he added power and did a touch-and-go. During the second attempt the pilot overshot the runway extended centerline and executed a go-around. On the third attempt the pilot had the airplane on final, at 200 feet agl, on the runway extended centerline, and about 100 knots. He pulled the stick back to arrest the sink rate. He noted that the angle of attack (AOA) indicator was reading three red dots (indicating that the airplane was within 10 percent of stalling), and the airplane impacted the runway in a 3-point attitude. The main landing gear forks fractured, and the airplane skidded off the right side of the runway, traveling some 600 feet beyond the impact point.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.