Amateur-built WITTMAN W 10 accident near Hobart, Indiana, December 30, 2012
On December 30, 2012 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built WITTMAN W 10, registered N641TD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hobart, Indiana (Hobart Sky Ranch Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2012 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hobart, Indiana · Hobart Sky Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WITTMAN W 10
- Registration
- N641TD · registry record · serial 456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane’s airspeed was about 20 mph slower than normal when he turned on final approach. After clearing obstructions at the end of the runway, the pilot started to flare for a landing when the airplane suddenly dropped and impacted the runway surface. The hard landing partially collapsed the left main landing gear and resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane and noted that the accident could have been prevented if he had maintained a safe airspeed.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 227 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 157 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 790 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 26, 2012; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3HO Hobart IN at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 3HO Hobart IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,125 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from KGYY, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.