Amateur-built ZODIAC 601HDS accident near Salisbury, Maryland, September 21, 2013
On September 21, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1999 amateur-built ZODIAC 601HDS, registered N99KL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Salisbury, Maryland (Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico 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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salisbury, Maryland · Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZODIAC 601HDS HDS, built 1999
- Registration
- N99KL · no longer on the register · serial 6-3783
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner of the experimental, amateur-built airplane said that the tower controller cleared him to land on runway 14, and advised that the wind was from 180 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 26 knots. The pilot elected to continue the landing, and during the landing roll, a "strong" gust of wind pushed the airplane off the left side of the runway, where it struck a runway light and sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies 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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,497 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2013; 2 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W48 Essex MD at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SBY Salisbury MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,800 ft; scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from KSBY
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.