20170817013439A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Rockwell International S-2R-800 · Stephan Lake, AK · August 17, 2017

Date: August 17, 2017 · 18:00 local
Place: Stephan Lake, AK
Airport: Stephan Lake Lodge Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N32LF
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC17LA046
Reported as: Rockwell International S-2R-800
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,250 total

N32LFRegistration cancelled Mar 16, 2018 · Rockwell International S-2R-800S/N 5089R Airframe modelRockwell International S-2R-800

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.

Pilot stated that upon departing willow airport he heard what sounded like a rock bouncing off of the fuselage or elevator. Upon landing at Stephan Lake Lodge the tail of the aircraft touched down and provided no steering control. Aircraft slid on runway center before veering to the right and sliding off the runway and through a small berm. Aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The aircraft propeller also stuck the ground during the event. Upon exiting the airplane the pilot discovered that the tailwheel assembly had separated from the fuselage at the front of the assembly and the bolt that holds the spring assembly to the fuselage had sheared, leaving only the head of the bolt remaining in the bracket.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT UPON DEPARTING WILLOW AIRPORT HE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCK BOUNCING OFF OF THE FUSELAGE OR ELEVATOR. UPON LANDING AT STEPHAN LAKE LODGE THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND PROVIDED NO STEERING CONTROL. AIRCRAFT SLID ON RUNWAY CENTER BEFORE VEERING TO THE RIGHT AND SLIDING OFF THE RUNWAY AND THROUGH A SMALL BERM. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER ALSO STUCK THE GROUND DURING THE EVENT. UPON EXITING THE AIRPLANE THE PILOT DISCOVERED THAT THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE FRONT OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE SPRING ASSEMBLY TO THE FUSELAGE HAD SHEARED, LEAVING ONLY THE HEAD OF THE BOLT REMAINING IN THE BRACKET.

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 ANC17LA046Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTalkeetna, AKThe pilot's improper landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, which allowed an excessive load on the tailwheel and resulted in the subsequent component fracture, loss of control, runway excursion, and impact with terrain.Aug 17, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N32LF · 2

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

Incident 20060911018169IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Kenai, AK(-23) On landing at mcgahans strip in Kenai, AK, after landing roll-out right hand gear buckled and aircraft settled on right wing.Sep 11, 2006 · Minor damage Accident 19771004030229ATo Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) · Bakersfield, CAOct 4, 1977 · Substantial damage