Flight Design GMBH CTSW accident near Pembine, Wisconsin, June 6, 2025
On June 6, 2025 at about 12:20 pm local time, a 2007 Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registered N499CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pembine, Wisconsin (Shangrila airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper flare during landing which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2025 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pembine, Wisconsin · Shangrila · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTSW, built 2007 · all CTSWs on the register
- Registration
- N499CT · registry record · serial 07-03-09
- 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 he experienced a bounce on landing that took him off-guard. When he attempted to recover, the airplane came back down on its nose wheel, which dug into the turf runway. The nose wheel collapsed, and the airplane nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane that led to the accident.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 22, 2023
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12/3, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from KIMT, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KIMT 061654Z AUTO 02008KT 10SM OVC100 21/08 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP176 T02060078=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 26, 2025. 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 Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Entries | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 4 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 CEN25LA204.