Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B N3129

Summary

On 2 December 2006 at about 17:30 local time, a Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B registered N3129 was involved in an accident near Camerson, Texas, United States. 2 people were 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 December 2006 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Camerson, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Cameron Muni Airpark (T35)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Stits Flut-R-Bug SA6B

Registration

N3129

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Camerson → Camerson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW07CA033

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper landing flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the delayed remedial action by the flight instructor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

With the eventual goal of earning a sport pilot certificate, an ultralight pilot and a 1,141-hour flight instructor planned to conduct a familiarization training flight in an experimental, tandem seat airplane. During the take-off roll, with the ultralight pilot occupying the front seat and operating the controls, the airplane "ballooned." The ultralight pilot reduced engine power and performed a normal landing. During the second take-off from Runway 16 (a 3,200-foot long by 50-foot wide asphalt runway), "the airplane ballooned more than before" and the pilot elected to reduce the engine power and land. The ultralight pilot stated that "the flare did not fully develop and [the airplane] landed harder than usual." During the landing, the right main landing gear and the nose landing gear collapsed. In the Recommendation section of the NTSB Form 6120.1, (How could this accident have been prevented ?), the ultralight pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented " with the judicious use of throttle in the flare, or if I had carried more airspeed to compensate for the possible loss of a gusting headwind." The winds at the time of the accident were reported as variable at 8 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.