Wonder Michael S HARMON ROCKET N85TP

Summary

On 21 May 2014 at about 16:25 local time, a Wonder Michael S HARMON ROCKET registered N85TP was involved in an accident near Winston Salem, North Carolina, 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

21 May 2014 at 16:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Winston Salem, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Smith Reynolds Airport (INT)

Coordinates

36.1336, -80.2219

Aircraft

Wonder Michael S HARMON ROCKET

Registration

N85TP

Category

Airplane

Year built

1996

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Saint Simons → Winston Salem

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA14CA270

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing in a gusty crosswind which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot's written statement, while on approach for a straight in landing to runway 33 the tower reported "winds at 250 at 13 or 14 with gusts." The pilot elected to abandon the approach to runway 33 and requested a landing on runway 22. The pilot entered a left downwind for runway 22. On final approach the pilot stated he saw a quartering right crosswind at 18 to 19 knots on his onboard system. Upon touchdown the aircraft "began a weathervane" and the pilot elected to go around. After circling the airport the pilot attempted another approach to runway 22. On this approach the pilot used partial flaps and lined up on the left side of the runway. The pilot stated that upon touchdown the aircraft required almost full left rudder to maintain directional control. The pilot stated that he believed he "got an additional right wind gust." At that time the aircraft swerved sharply to the right where it exited the paved surface and rolled onto the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and left wing. The calculated cross wind component at the time of the accident, using the AWOS reported winds, was 13 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.