NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA17CA454
Registry · N802DL
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
M&D FLUGZEUGBAU GMBH JS-MD 3 RES
Year of manufacture
2024
Engine
SOLO EMRAX 208 (115 hp)
Seats / Engines
1 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20240524
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AAE9A1
Registrant of record
REGISTRATION PENDING
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s improper decision to continue flight in deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in collision with the ground.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he departed his private field for an aerial application flight, and flew northwest about 5 miles. He added that, as he approached the field that he had intended to spray, the visibility rapidly decreased. He began a 180o turn but the visibility decreased to zero, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported, about 11 minutes prior to the accident, the wind was from 180° at 5 knots, the cloud celling was overcast at 300 ft. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he departed his private field for an agricultural application flight and flew northwest about 5 miles. He added that, as he approached the field that he had intended to spray, the visibility rapidly decreased. He began a 180° turn, but the visibility decreased to zero, and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation system about 13 nautical miles from the accident site reported that, about 11 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 180° at 5 knots, and the cloud celling was overcast at 300 ft. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-Low ceiling-Effect on personnel
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2017_GAA17CA454.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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