Pilot Crashes When Blinded by Sun Glare (Carbon Cub FX-3 - N358AK)

[Neal]

This one was in today's General Aviation News email. Sadly, a Carbon Cub FX-3

Pilot Crashes When Blinded by Sun Glare — General Aviation News

Probable Cause: The pilot’s improper decision to continue an approach with his vision obscured by sun glare, which resulted in a collision with a tree.

generalaviationnews.com

 

[Cactus Charlie]

Certificate: Student
Flight Time: 203 hours (Total, all aircraft), 114 hours (Total, this make and model)

 

[ve6yeq]

Interesting note that the ELT activated but did not help in locating which suggests that the ELT GPS did not work. I wonder if this was the carbon fibre seat blocking the GPS signal?

 

[Cactus Charlie]

I look at accident reports in the hope I can learn something. It didn't take much digging to discover the circumstances of this accident may not have been quite as described in the NTSB report.

For the curious -
Download the KML of the accident flight and import to Google Earth. Place a pin where the flight ends.
Then download the KML for the previous flight on 1/21/2024. Note that it passes close to the accident site.
Note the elevation profile of the aircraft as it passes near the accident site.
Then look for private airstrips near that location .
Then look for prominent ground structures near the low point of the 1/21/2024 flight.

Reach your own conclusion. I'll keep mine to myself.