Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER accident near Santa Ynez, California, September 11, 2017
On September 11, 2017 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 2008 Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER, registered N4465F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez 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 landing flare in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2017 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Aircraft Works Spol Sro SPORTCRUISER A, built 2008 · all SPORTCRUISERs on the register
- Registration
- N4465F · no longer on the register · serial 08SC142
- 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, during landing in gusting wind conditions, "there was a shift in wind speed and direction," and the airplane bounced and landed hard. The main landing gear collapsed, the propeller struck the runway, and the airplane then exited the runway to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 230° at 11 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,001.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 181 hours total
- Operator: Santa Monica Flyers INC
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: IZA Santa Ynez CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,803 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KIZA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4465F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA17CA538.