Amateur-built JA30 SUPERSTOL accident near Puyallup, Washington, March 21, 2020
On March 21, 2020 at about 7:18 pm local time, a 2008 amateur-built JA30 SUPERSTOL, registered N914MS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Puyallup, Washington (Pierce County - Thun Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 failure to maintain airplane control during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in the wing striking the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2020 · about 7:18 pm local time
- Place
- Puyallup, Washington · Pierce County - Thun Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built JA30 SUPERSTOL Undesignat, built 2008
- Registration
- N914MS · registry record · serial JA370-04-14
- 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, just before touchdown, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left, which caused the airplane to weathervane to the right and the left wing to rise. The pilot applied left aileron control and full power but was unable to maintain control. The right wingtip impacted the ground, the landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
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 › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 339.6 hours in all; 171 in this make and model; 17.6 in the last 90 days; 5.1 in the last 30 days; 208.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 115.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 UL (piston); 116 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PLU Puyallup WA
- Destination: PLU Puyallup WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,651 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KPLU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 WPR20CA113.