Elmwood CHRISTAVIA

Lancaster, SC — June 22, 2019

Event Information

DateJune 22, 2019
Event TypeACC
NTSB NumberCEN19TA180
Event ID20190624X60317
LocationLancaster, SC
CountryUSA
Coordinates34.72278, -80.85472
AirportLancaster Cnty-Mc Whirter Fld
Highest InjurySERS

Aircraft

MakeElmwood
ModelCHRISTAVIA
CategoryAIR
FAR Part091
Aircraft DamageSUBS

Conditions

Light ConditionDAYL
WeatherVMC

Injuries

Fatal0
Serious1
Minor1
None0
Total Injured2

Event Location

Probable Cause

The pilot's distraction, which resulted in his failure to maintain adequate altitude and airspeed and a subsequent impact with terrain.

Full Narrative

On June 22, 2019, about 0710 eastern daylight time, an Elmwood Christavia Mark 1, N222PN, collided with the ground 2,000 yards short of runway 24 at Lancaster County-Mc Whirter Field (LKR), Lancaster, South Carolina. The private pilot sustained minor injuries and the passenger was seriously injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions existed near the accident site at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Lancaster County-Mc Whirter Field (LKR). Lancaster, South Carolina, about 0630.
The pilot did not complete NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report. However, he was interviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector after his release from the hospital. According to the inspector, the pilot told him he had been distracted and made the mistake of getting too low and too slow. When he realized he could not make the airport, he made an off-field landing.
The inspector reported both landing gears had separated from the aircraft, the left-wing lift strut was bent and broken, the bottom of the aircraft was damaged, and the right side cabin floor board was broken. The wooden propeller was shattered and bore indications that the engine was running at high power at impact with the ground. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

About This NTSB Record

This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

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