Amateur-built S1 accident near Arlington, Washington, September 4, 2021
On September 4, 2021 at about 4:10 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built S1, registered N423JB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Arlington, Washington (Arlington Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2021 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · Arlington Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S1, built 2012
- Registration
- N423JB · no longer on the register · serial RWS296JB
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tail wheel equipped airplane landed hard after the student pilot performed a series of touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The airplane travelled off the runway to the left and came to rest in the grass. The pilot sustained serious injuries, which prevented him from recalling the accident circumstances. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Examination of the airplane’s flight control system did not reveal any mechanical failures or malfunctions 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) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 120.9 in this make and model; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 125 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 1, 2021; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 DCDI (piston); 125 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23L, 3,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from AWO
Weather report (METAR): METAR KAWO 041556Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 16/09 A2998 RMK AO2 SLP155 T01560094=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 18, 2022. 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 | Airport Traffic Pattern Map | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Airport Incident Report with Photos | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Decommissioned Runway | 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.