The 81-year-old pilot had recently purchased an Alon A2. According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot had not flown on a regular basis for the better part of 20 years prior to the acquisition of the Alon.
He underwent a flight review and, according to the flight instructor who conducted the flight review, he flew fairly well and safely, but not great. The CFI recommended he obtain additional flight instruction.
The pilot then departed the location of the review to ferry the airplane to his home airport in Greenbrier, Arkansas.
The runway was 40 feet wide and had a downslope. A witness stated the pilot’s first two landing attempts resulted in go-arounds. During the third landing, the airplane bounced and began to porpoise, then went off the left side of the runway and into a culvert. The pilot initiated a third go-around, during which the airplane crashed and burned, killing the pilot.
The NTSB cited the pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing and porpoise as the cause of the accident, with the pilot’s limited recent flying experience and proficiency and the challenging runway environment as contributing factors.
NTSB Identification: CEN13LA237
This April 2013 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Another fatality form the disease called “Get-There-Itus”. Maybe should have had another pilot to help ferry his plane home.