Czech Aircraft Works SportCruiser accident near Emporia, Virginia, December 23, 2008
On December 23, 2008 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Czech Aircraft Works SportCruiser, registered N524SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Emporia, Virginia (Emporia-Greensville Regional 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 the landing. Contributing to the accident was the improperly marked airspeed indicator and the airplane manufacturer's improper airspeed information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2008 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Emporia, Virginia · Emporia-Greensville Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Aircraft Works SportCruiser
- Registration
- N524SC · registry record · serial 07SC020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing the Special Light Sport Aircraft at an airport during his first solo cross-country flight, the student pilot encountered a strong wind gust during the downwind to base turn. After turning into the final leg he was "well above the approach path indicator." He then encountered difficulty in “getting the plane on the runway.” During the flare the airplane floated and he applied a “small amount of power,” to keep the airplane from stalling. As the airplane flew above the runway it drifted to the left. After the airplane touched down, the student heard and felt the left main landing gear impact something. Recorded winds at the accident airport were variable at 7 knots. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane had struck a runway light with its left main landing gear. The airplane's fuselage structure had come into contact with a bell crank during the accident, and a rod end that attached to the bell crank broke. This rendered the pitch control system inoperative. The student pilot stated that he should have "gone around," but he was a "little confused about the airspeed at the time." As a result of this statement, NTSB investigators examined photographic evidence of the airplane's cockpit, and the airspeed information that was published in the airplane manufacturer's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH). The examinations revealed that the airspeed indicator's indicator and airspeed color code range markings did not agree with the information published in the supplied airplane manufacturer's POH and also that the markings were inaccurate. This could lead to confusion as well as an accident, as the indicated airspeed is an important value for the pilot as it directly indicates stall speed and various airframe structurally limited speeds, regardless of density altitude. Furthermore, it was discovered that the stall speed information and airspeed indicator calibration information published in the POH in many cases was inaccurate and contained large differences (in several instances almost 20 knots) between the published indicated airspeeds and the published calibrated airspeeds.
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 in flight during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Navigation system › Airspeed/mach indicating › Design
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Navigation system › Airspeed/mach indicating › Related operating info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 658 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 5, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPX Norfolk VA at 6:54 pm
- Destination: EMV Emporia VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,044 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.62 inHg
- Observation at 7:40 pm from EMV
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.
Other NTSB records under N524SC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.