20121017023889I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Flight Design CTLS · Elyria, OH · October 17, 2012

Date: October 17, 2012 · 10:45 local
Place: Elyria, OH
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N21ZA
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN13IA024
Reported as: Flight Design Ctls
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 910 total425 in this make and model135 in the last 90 days

N21ZARegistered now · Flight Design CTLSS/N F-10-09-04 · Built 2011 Airframe modelFlight Design CTLS Engine modelRotax 912ULS series4 cycle

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.

The right main landing gear strut failed shortly after touchdown. This is a fixed gear aircraft. The aircraft, including the landing gear strut is made of composite material. In August of 2012, the aircraft was damaged during a hard landing. The nose gear and engine mounts were replaced at the factory. The firewall was also damaged. This was not reported to the FAA and may actually have been an accident. It appears that there may have been damage to the landing gear strut during the event in August, and the gear failed during this current landing, which was described as firm, but not all that hard . This report was amended on 10/24/2012 to add the NTSB incident number.

As the FAA filed it

THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT FAILED SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THIS IS A FIXED GEAR AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THE LANDING GEAR STRUT IS MADE OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL. IN AUGUST OF 2012, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING. THE NOSE GEAR AND ENGINE MOUNTS WERE REPLACED AT THE FACTORY. THE FIREWALL WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THIS WAS NOT REPORTED TO THE FAA AND MAY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. IT APPEARS THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR STRUT DURING THE EVENT IN AUGUST, AND THE GEAR FAILED DURING THIS CURRENT LANDING, WHICH WAS DESCRIBED AS FIRM, BUT NOT ALL THAT HARD . THIS REPORT WAS AMENDED ON 10/24/2012 TO ADD THE NTSB INCIDENT NUMBER.

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 CEN13IA024Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportElyria, OHThe manufacturing defects in the main landing gear leg, which resulted in its eventual failure.Oct 17, 2012 · Minor damage

Other reports on N21ZA · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20181104021489ALanding: Approach · Elyria, OHUpon landing on runway 7, the aircraft was at 10 feet going approximately 61 knots. When the aircraft was at approximately 5 feet, going approximately 55 knots, it dropped onto the runway and snapped-off the right hand main wheel assembly. The aircraft veered…Nov 4, 2018 · Substantial damage Accident 20120719025239ALanding: Touchdown · Elyria, OHOn 7/19/2012, landed hard on the nose landing gear. This damaged the nose landing gear, engine mount, firewall, and the right main landing gear. The damage to the right main landing gear was not evident until the gear collapsed during a landing on 10/17/2012.…Jul 19, 2012 · Substantial damage