Canadian Light Acft Sales &Svc BUSHCADDY EXPLORER accident near Island Pond, Vermont, July 29, 2016
On July 29, 2016 at about 4:46 pm local time, a 2008 Canadian Light Acft Sales &Svc BUSHCADDY EXPLORER, registered N335BE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Island Pond, Vermont (John H Boylan State (Island PO 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack during approach, resulting in an inadvertent stall and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2016 · about 4:46 pm local time
- Place
- Island Pond, Vermont · John H Boylan State (Island PO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Canadian Light Acft Sales &Svc BUSHCADDY EXPLORER NO SERIES, built 2008
- Registration
- N335BE · registry record · serial BCLSA(AT)148
- 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 was landing in variable, gusting wind conditions and that prior to initiating the landing flare, his approach airspeed was about 45 miles per hour. About 12 feet above the runway the airplane lost lift, dropped to runway, and landed hard He recalled that the airplane impacted the runway about 150 feet from the threshold, the left landing gear partially collapsed, the airplane veered left and exited the left side of the runway, impacted a drainage culvert and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, engine mounts, and the empennage. The pilot reported that during the flight there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane that would have prevented normal flight operations. As a recommendation, the pilot wrote that for the conditions he should have approached at a higher airspeed and flared further down the runway.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- 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 Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 283 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 283 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 9, 2012
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 166 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 184 hours total
- Operator: Morgan Sport Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: 5B1 Island Pond VT at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 5B1 Island Pond VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,650 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KCDA, 16 miles away
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 November 1, 2016. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N335BE 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.