Flight Design GMBH CTSW accident near Bloomington, Indiana, April 19, 2014
On April 19, 2014 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2005 Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registered N298AB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bloomington, Indiana (Monroe County 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 did not maintain control of the airplane while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2014 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Indiana · Monroe County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTSW, built 2005 · all CTSWs on the register
- Registration
- N298AB · registry record · serial 05-09-10
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the winds were gusting from 14 to 19 knots when he was cleared to land on runway 17. As the pilot reduced the airspeed, the airplane "lost lift and began to drop rapidly." The pilot added full power; however, the airplane landed hard, bounced, and porpoised. The nosewheel landing gear bent aft resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Wind at the time of the accident was recorded as 090 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,108 hours in all; 438 in this make and model; 10.6 in the last 90 days; 5.9 in the last 30 days; 1,027 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2013
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 438.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,321 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax Gmbh ULS2 (piston); 438 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBMG Bloomington IN at 4:30 pm
- Destination: KBMG Bloomington IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KBMG, 5 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.