20090523007639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Socata RALLYE 235E · Ontario, OR · May 23, 2009

Date: May 23, 2009 · 09:30 local
Place: Ontario, OR
Airport: Ontario Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N315RA
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09CA271
Reported as: Socata RALLYE235E
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,800 total1 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N315RARegistration cancelled Aug 23, 2012 · S.O.C.A.T.A. RALLYE 235ES/N 13015 · Built 1977 Airframe modelS.O.C.A.T.A. RALLYE 235E Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The airman had not operated an aircraft as pilot in command for a period of 6-years or received a flight review within that period without having any training in make and model, the pilot purchased the rallye aircraft and loaded his son for a local flight to learn the flight characteristics of the aircraft. During the first approach to landing, the pilot stated he had difficulty holding the extended runway cernterline due to a crosswind. The pilot stated during the landing flare, the aircraft stalled and hit the runway extremely hard. The pilot stated he then applied power and departed again remaining in the patter. It was during the second touchdown the pilot once again landed extremely hard collapsing the nose gear sliding approximately 400 feet down the runway causing substantial damage. As the aircraft came to stop, a fire erupted in the engine compartment and was quickly extinguished by emergency responders.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRMAN HAD NOT OPERATED AN AIRCRAFT AS PILOT IN COMMAND FOR A PERIOD OF 6-YEARS OR RECEIVED A FLIGHT REVIEW WITHIN THAT PERIOD WITHOUT HAVING ANY TRAINING IN MAKE AND MODEL, THE PILOT PURCHASED THE RALLYE AIRCRAFT AND LOADED HIS SON FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT TO LEARN THE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE FIRST APPROACH TO LANDING, THE PILOT STATED HE HAD DIFFICULTY HOLDING THE EXTENDED RUNWAY CERNTERLINE DUE TO A CROSSWIND. THE PILOT STATED DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND HIT THE RUNWAY EXTREMELY HARD. THE PILOT STATED HE THEN APPLIED POWER AND DEPARTED AGAIN REMAINING IN THE PATTER. IT WAS DURING THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT ONCE AGAIN LANDED EXTREMELY HARD COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR SLIDING APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO STOP, A FIRE ERUPTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED BY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR09CA271Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportOntario, ORThe pilot's misjudged landing flare. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of any experience in the make and model airplane.May 23, 2009 · Substantial damage