NTSB CEN21LA217 — 2021-05-12 · Fulton, Missouri, United States

Current FAA registration · N179VP

Make / Model: SMITH MINIPLANE DSA-1
Engine: LYCOMING 0-290 SERIES (140 hp)
Seats / Engines: 1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20080709
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A13C85

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N179VP SMITH MINIPLANE DSA-1 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing in gusty crosswinds.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane when on touchdown, the airplane’s right wing lifted and the pilot lost control. The airplane nosed over and impacted on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and upper rear fuselage near the bulkhead. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 36 with wind from 060o at 11 knots with gusts to 17 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_CEN21LA217.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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