Cosmos Phase II accident near Carson City, Nevada, August 7, 2008
On August 7, 2008 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cosmos Phase II, registered N311RT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Carson City, Nevada (Carson City Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2008 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cosmos Phase II · all Phase IIs on the register
- Registration
- N311RT · registry record · serial B21476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During his first supervised solo flight, the student pilot did three touch-and-go landings without incident. During his fourth landing, he encountered a slight crosswind from his left, which pushed the airplane about 30 feet right of the 75-foot wide asphalt runway. The student pilot attempted to realign the airplane over the runway but was unsuccessful. He then was able to align the airplane with a dirt area to the right of the runway just past his intended landing area. The student pilot decided to continue and land the airplane in the dirt area adjacent to the runway. At an altitude of about 10 feet above ground level, he noticed a pile of dirt directly in the flight path of the airplane and attempted to go-around by applying full power. Subsequently, the airplane touched down, impacted the pile of dirt, and nosed over. Examination of the airplane by the student pilot revealed that both wings and airframe were structurally damaged. The student pilot stated that there were no anomalies with the engine or airframe 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › (general) › Not specified
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 33 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 618 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXP Carson City NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,906 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.