20160625006669A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Benjamin Harold E RV-4 · Fitchburg, MA · June 25, 2016

Date
June 25, 2016 · 20:10 local
Place
Fitchburg, MA
Airport
Fitchburg Municipal
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3446
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA16CA344
Reported as
Benjamin Harold E RV-4
Reported engine
Lycoming O-320-D2A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
836 total234 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

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 pilot with one tandem passenger on board, landed the aircraft at the threshold of runway number 20 at 2010 zulu hours at (fit). Upon roll-out at the intersection of runway 20 and 32, the aircraft veered off to the left of the runway centerline. During that time, the right main landing gear started to wobble and then collapse. Both the right wing and main propeller contacted the runway and the aircraft skidded off the left side of runway 20 into the gravel and grass approximately 15 feet. The aircraft came to rest facing in a northerly direction.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WITH ONE TANDEM PASSENGER ON BOARD, LANDED THE AIRCRAFT AT THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY NUMBER 20 AT 2010 ZULU HOURS AT (FIT). UPON ROLL-OUT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 20 AND 32, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. DURING THAT TIME, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STARTED TO WOBBLE AND THEN COLLAPSE. BOTH THE RIGHT WING AND MAIN PROPELLER CONTACTED THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 20 INTO THE GRAVEL AND GRASS APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST FACING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION.

NTSB investigation

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