# Incident 20130923018699I: Letarte Patrick ACRO SPORT II, Lowell, MI, September 23, 2013

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 2013, 18:35 local time
- Place: Lowell, MI
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.9368° N, 85.3480° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lowell, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9368&lon=-85.3480&mi=10
- Aircraft: N59NE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N59NE-2026-10-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Letarte Patrick ACRO SPORT II (registry code 056287T, https://openairdocs.org/model/letarte-patrick-acro-sport-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (registry code 42090, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-290-d2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LETARTE PATRICK ACRO SPORT II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-290-D2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 400 total, 15 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130923018699I

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2013 AT 1835 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL ACRO SPORT II AIRCRAFT, N59NE, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE WHEN ITS LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER A HARD LANDING ON RUNWAY 06 AT THE LOWELL CITY AIRPORT, (24C) LOWELL, MI. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN.  THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE LOWELL CITY AIRPORT, (24C) LOWELL, MI. AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 EDT.

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS LANDING ON THE 2700 FT. TURF STRIP ON RUNWAY 06.  UPON INITIAL TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY WHERE THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.  THE LANDING GEAR FAILED AT THE BUNGEE ATTACH POINTS AND THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ON ITS BELLY, BENDING THE PROPELLER.

WEATHER REPORT NEAR 24C AIRPORT AT 2230 UTC WAS: WIND 140 DEGREES AT 5KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, 4000 SCT, TEMP 64 DEW POINT 43 AND ALTIMETER 3012.

## Other reports on N59NE (1)

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

- [Incident 20100421033319I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100421033319I), Apr 21, 2010: Letarte Pat ACRO SPORT (N59NE), Lebanon, OH, Minor damage. Incident witnessed by two FAA inspectors and one private citizen. Aircraft (acrosport ii), piloted by mr. Letarte, made a hard landing bouncing 15 to 20 feet…

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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