Waltermire GLASTAR N248DW

Summary

On 19 January 2008 at about 21:00 local time, a Waltermire GLASTAR registered N248DW, operated by Thomas R. C. Smith, was involved in an accident near Vacaville, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 January 2008 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Vacaville, California, United States

Nearest airport

Nut Tree (VCB)

Coordinates

38.3778, -121.9617

Aircraft

Waltermire GLASTAR

Registration

N248DW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thomas R. C. Smith

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vacaville → Vacaville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08CA048

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and a lack of experience in conventional gear airplanes.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot took off with the intent of flying around the traffic pattern. The pilot's first two attempted landings terminated in go-arounds after the airplane experienced a series of bounces on the runway. On the third attempted landing, the pilot lost directional control. The airplane swerved off the runway and went into a ditch. The pilot's experience flying tailwheel airplanes was 3 hours and he had not received a flight instructor's endorsement to act as pilot-in-command of tailwheel equipped airplanes. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.