WOOSTER, OH, USA
N63250
Ramseyer TIERRA II
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and had received about 1 hour of dual instruction with a certified flight instructor (CFI) in the airplane, prior to the accident flight. The pilot said he was having trouble keeping the airplane stable during the landing approach because it produced a lot of lift and wanted to fly. The pilot stated '...I was controlling my altitude with the throttle until I stalled and dropped...' The 1 hour of dual instruction the pilot received before the accident was his only flight experience in make and model.
On April 3, 1998, about 1425 eastern standard time, a homebuilt TIERRA II, N63250, was substantially damaged during a landing to a private unlisted airstrip in Wooster, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that originated at the airstrip and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In a telephone interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot stated he had recently purchased the airplane and had received about 1 hour of dual instruction with a certified flight instructor (CFI) in the airplane, prior to the accident flight. The pilot said he was having trouble keeping the airplane stable during the landing approach because it produced a lot of lift and wanted to fly. He also stated, the airplane was constantly being moved about by wind gusts. The pilot said he slowed the airplane to "20" on the airspeed indicator and was then caught by a gust of wind which raised the airplane's nose and slowed the airspeed. The airplane then hit the ground nose low. In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot indicated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the airplane. He also stated, "...I was controlling my altitude with the throttle until I stalled and dropped..." Examination of the wreckage by an FAA Inspector, did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities of the airframe or engine. The pilot reported 91 hours of total flight experience on his last application for an FAA Third Class Medical Certificate which was issued on September 15, 1997. The 1 hour of dual instruction he received before the accident was his only flight experience in make and model. Winds reported at a nearby airport at 1453, were from 050 degrees at 6 knots.
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the landing approach. A factor in this accident was the pilot's lack of experience in make and model.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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