Rainbow COBRA N78DK

Summary

On 9 March 2013 at about 20:45 local time, a Rainbow COBRA registered N78DK, operated by Donald J. Sills, was involved in an accident near Camden, South Carolina, United States. One person was 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

9 March 2013 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Camden, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Woodward Field (CDN)

Coordinates

34.2836, -80.5647

Aircraft

Rainbow COBRA

Registration

N78DK

Engines

1

Operator

Donald J. Sills

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Camden → Camden

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13CA161

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the approach to land.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/owner of the experimental weight-shift airplane said he confirmed that the wind was calm before taking off for a flight around the traffic pattern. He said the airplane encountered updrafts and downdrafts on the downwind and base legs of the traffic pattern, and he could not control the altitude of the airplane with either control or power inputs. The pilot said that when he was on final approach, about 400 feet above ground level, he "saw the airplane nose going down at a 45-degree angle and then the hit." The airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged. The wind speed reported at the airport at the time of the accident was 3 knots. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with his airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.