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20110821019759I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Lange Alexander T AIR CAM · Sheridan, IN · August 21, 2011

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 21, 2011 · 18:55 local
Place
Sheridan, IN
Airport
Sheridan
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N203TW
Reported as
Lange Alexander T AIR CAM
Reported engine
Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours
8,962 total34 in this make and model

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.

On August 21, 2011, pilot privacy data omitted holder of ATP certificate privacy data omitted, was operating N203TW, a Lange HX-1 Air Cam experimental multi-engine conventional-gear aircraft, for the purpose of practicing short-field and crosswind landings at Sheridan Airport (5I4) in Sheridan, IN. Winds were estimated to be from 340 degreees at 8 knowts with occasional gusts to 12 or 14 knots. At approximately 1855 EDT, after making two takeoffs and landings on runway 5, a landing was planned on runway 27, a grass runway. After departing to the northeast on runway 5 and upon reaching the end of this runway (estimated 400-500 feet AGL), a practice emergency landing to runway 27 was initated. A wind gust was encountered in the landing flare and touchdown was approximately 25 degrees off runway heading on the right main gear. Thouchdown was described by both pilot and passenger privacy data omitted as "not hard"; upon touchdown, the right main gear broke along a weld which attaches the spindle to the gear leg and the wheel assembly separated from the aircraft. The aircraft traveled approximately 75 feet after touchdown; both pilot and passenger exited the aircraft with no injuries. Incident analysis revealed the installation of larger than standard tires which are not recommended for this experimental aircraft, and that the weld attaching the wheel spindle and gear leg appeared to be of poor quality.

As the FAA filed it

ON AUGUST 21, 2011, PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HOLDER OF ATP CERTIFICATE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS OPERATING N203TW, A LANGE HX-1 AIR CAM EXPERIMENTAL MULTI-ENGINE CONVENTIONAL-GEAR AIRCRAFT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING SHORT-FIELD AND CROSSWIND LANDINGS AT SHERIDAN AIRPORT (5I4) IN SHERIDAN, IN. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE FROM 340 DEGREEES AT 8 KNOWTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 12 OR 14 KNOTS. AT APPROXIMATELY 1855 EDT, AFTER MAKING TWO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 5, A LANDING WAS PLANNED ON RUNWAY 27, A GRASS RUNWAY. AFTER DEPARTING TO THE NORTHEAST ON RUNWAY 5 AND UPON REACHING THE END OF THIS RUNWAY (ESTIMATED 400-500 FEET AGL), A PRACTICE EMERGENCY LANDING TO RUNWAY 27 WAS INITATED. A WIND GUST WAS ENCOUNTERED IN THE LANDING FLARE AND TOUCHDOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 DEGREES OFF RUNWAY HEADING ON THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR. THOUCHDOWN WAS DESCRIBED BY BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS "NOT HARD"; UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR BROKE ALONG A WELD WHICH ATTACHES THE SPINDLE TO THE GEAR LEG AND THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 75 FEET AFTER TOUCHDOWN; BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES. INCIDENT ANALYSIS REVEALED THE INSTALLATION OF LARGER THAN STANDARD TIRES WHICH ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, AND THAT THE WELD ATTACHING THE WHEEL SPINDLE AND GEAR LEG APPEARED TO BE OF POOR QUALITY.