Jabiru Usa Sport Aircraft Llc J250 N584J accident near Winnsboro, South Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s improper decision to provide instruction in an airplane with only one control stick.

NTSB analysis

According to the flight instructor in the light sport airplane, the pilot in the left seat had not flown for a while and was receiving instruction to complete a flight review. The airplane was equipped with a single control stick. During the landing flare, the pilot applied forward stick, and the airplane impacted the runway hard. The nose landing gear and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and came to a stop in the grass safety area.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts and lower fuselage.

The instructor asserted that he should have refused to instruct in an airplane with only one control stick.

Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA356 for the full record.