Flight Design GMBH CTLS accident near Saint Johns, Arizona, September 1, 2024
On September 1, 2024 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 2014 Flight Design GMBH CTLS, registered N116MJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Saint Johns, Arizona (St. Johns Industrial Airpark airport). It was a personal 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 that resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2024 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Johns, Arizona · St. Johns Industrial Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTLS, built 2014 · all CTLSs on the register
- Registration
- N116MJ · registry record · serial F-13-03-07
- 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 following a local area flight he was coming back to land at his home airport. He performed a normal traffic pattern for a full stop landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced four times, which increased in intensity before he was able to add power and get the airplane airborne. The airplane flew about 20 ft before the pilot landed again without incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Flight time: 197.3 hours in all; 148.6 in this make and model; 22.8 in the last 90 days; 7.4 in the last 30 days; 154.7 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 20, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 678.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 2024; 643.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912iS2 (piston); 678 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,322 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 am from KSOW, 35 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSOW 011455Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 20/06 A3036 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | 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.