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ATL92LA114

1992-05-31 · LANDRUM, South Carolina, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 33A

N523MH has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (FLIGHTSTAR IISL), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT. FACTORS WERE THE INADEQUATE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OF THE HOME BUILT AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF FROM A GRASS RUNWAY. ON THE INITIAL CLIMB, HE OBTAINED AN AIRSPEED OF 45 KNOTS, AND AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 40 FEET AGL. WHEN HE COULD NOT CLIMB HIGHER THAN 40 FEET, HE ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON THE GRASS. HE RETARDED THE THROTTLE, AND THE NOSE DROPPED SHARPLY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE, RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. A POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND NONE WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN FLOWN 4 HOURS SINCE NEW; THIS WAS ALSO THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_ATL92LA114.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.