Evektor-Aerotechnik A S HARMONY LSA accident near Cahokia Heights, Illinois, July 24, 2024
On July 24, 2024 at about 4:03 pm local time, a 2023 Evektor-Aerotechnik A S HARMONY LSA, registered N468JA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Cahokia Heights, Illinois (St Louis Downtown Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout that resulted in a lateral runway excursion and impact with a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2024 · about 4:03 pm local time
- Place
- Cahokia Heights, Illinois · St Louis Downtown Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik A S HARMONY LSA, built 2023 · all HARMONY LSAs on the register
- Registration
- N468JA · no longer on the register · serial 20232219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that his student was to perform three takeoffs and three landings as part of an initial solo flight requirement toward a private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating. Prior to the initial solo flight, the student pilot performed four takeoff and four landings with his flight instructor. On the approach for fourth landing the flight instructor instructed the student pilot to perform a full stop landing, and to then taxi back to the airport ramp. The student pilot completed the full stop landing and taxied the airplane to the ramp where the flight instructor provided a solo endorsement and told the student pilot to perform two or three landings at his own pace. The flight instructor then exited the airplane. The student pilot then performed two touch and go landings followed by a third landing, during which the airplane bounced to the right. The student pilot applied corrective control inputs and recovered the airplane from the bounced landing. However, during the subsequent landing rollout and as the student pilot attempted to turn onto a taxiway, the airplane departed the runway laterally and impacted a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to left wing. There was no reported preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 21.9 hours in all; 21.9 in this make and model; 21.9 in the last 90 days; 15.7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 76 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 1, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 IS2 Sport (piston); 76 hours total
- Operator: St Louis Flight Training LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12L, 5,301 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from CPS
Weather report (METAR): KCPS 241553Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 29/22 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP205 T02890217
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 12, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA283.