Aviat Aircraft INC S 2C accident near Chandler, Arizona, December 9, 2013
On December 9, 2013 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2003 Aviat Aircraft INC S 2C, registered N44HV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Municipal airport). 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 failure to maintain airplane control during landing, which resulted in impact with a runway identifier sign, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to take the controls and initiate a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2013 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC S 2C C, built 2003 · all S 2Cs on the register
- Registration
- N44HV · registry record · serial 6056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he and the private pilot were practicing aerobatic maneuvers and had returned to the airport to practice touch-and-go landings. On the third touch-and-go landing, the airplane drifted to the right side of the runway just before touching down. The flight instructor subsequently took the controls and executed a go-around. During the go-around, the flight instructor felt a slight buffet and, while returning to the airport, he noticed some damage to the lower right wingtip. During postaccident airplane examinations, a 12-inch-long section of the outboard aft spar was found separated from the wing. The outboard end of the aileron to the outboard hinge was bent and distorted rearward from its original position. Examination of the runway revealed damage to a runway identifier sign. It is likely that the airplane impacted the runway identifier sign when the airplane drifted to the right side of the runway during the third touch-and-go landing.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,063 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 7,772 as pilot in command; 7,757 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 16, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,475 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 23, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 878 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2013; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,698 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 (piston); 878 hours total
- Operator: Chandler Air Services, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KCHD Chandler AZ at 10:15 pm
- Destination: KCHD Chandler AZ
- Runway 4R, 4,870 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from CHD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N44HV 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.