Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250 accident near Winnsboro, South Carolina, June 18, 2018
On June 18, 2018 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 2007 Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250, registered N584J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Winnsboro, South Carolina (Fairfield County). It was an instructional 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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s improper decision to provide instruction in an airplane with only one control stick.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2018 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winnsboro, South Carolina · Fairfield County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250 SP, built 2007 · all J250s on the register
- Registration
- N584J · no longer on the register · serial 347
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor in the light sport airplane, the pilot in the left seat had not flown for a while and was receiving instruction to complete a flight review. The airplane was equipped with a single control stick. During the landing flare, the pilot applied forward stick, and the airplane impacted the runway hard. The nose landing gear and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and came to a stop in the grass safety area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts and lower fuselage. The instructor asserted that he should have refused to instruct in an airplane with only one control stick. Both pilots reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,985 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 6,700 as pilot in command; 4,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 28, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 375 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 320 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300 (piston); 555 hours total
- Operator: Pharaoh Llc
The flight
- Departed from: CUB Columbia SC
- Destination: CUB Columbia SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,243 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KFDW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 10, 2018. 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, Instructor | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.