# Incident 20100502032749I: Sportavia P RF5B SPERBE, Medford, OR, May 2, 2010

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 2010, 14:37 local time
- Place: Medford, OR
- Airport: Rogue Valley International - Medford
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.3750° N, 122.8733° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at ROGUE VALLEY INTL/MEDFORD (MFR), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3750&lon=-122.8733&mi=10
- Aircraft: N55RN, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N55RN) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sportavia Putzer RF5B SPERBER (registry code 8451016, https://openairdocs.org/model/sportavia-putzer-rf5b-sperber) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (registry code 63501, https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SPORTAVIA P RF5B SPERBE
- Reported engine: VOLKSWAGEN CONVERSION
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100502032749I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AFTER TAKEOFF OF EXPERIMENTAL EXHIBITION AIRPLANE PILOT NOTED UNUSUAL FEEL DURING CENTERLINE MAIN LANDING GEAR (MLG) RETRACTION.  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO EXTEND THE MLG BUT THE MECHANICAL LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE.  THE PILOT STAYED IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT TRYING TO EXTEND THE MLG FOR A FEW MINUTES WITH NO AFFECT.  THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND CUT OFF THE ENGINE.  THE PROP WAS MOVED TO A FEATHERED AND HORIZONTAL POSITION.  THE AIRPLANE LANDED GEAR UP ON THE FUSELAGE SKIDS AND OUT-RIGGER WHEELS.  ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE LOWER COWL AND MLG WHEEL DOOR HINGES.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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