# Accident 20200925011959A: Williams Indust Elect LANCAIR 235, Chester, CT, September 25, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 25, 2020, 16:31 local time
- Place: Chester, CT
- Airport: Chester
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.3837° N, 72.5058° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3837&lon=-72.5058&mi=10
- Aircraft: N35FW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N35FW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Williams Indust Elect LANCAIR 235 (registry code 05620AA, https://openairdocs.org/model/williams-indust-elect-lancair-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: WILLIAMS INDUST ELECT LANCAIR 235
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,971 total, 778 in this make and model, 8 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA337](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA337) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200925011959A

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2020, CIVIL EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT N35FW, A WILLIAMS INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS, MODEL: LANCAIR 235, SERIAL NUMBER: 0119, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT CHESTER AIRPORT (KSNC) LOCATED IN CHESTER CONNECTICUT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY REGISTERED OWNER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 LOCAL TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED KSNC ON A PERSONAL PART 91 FLIGHT. HE FLEW FOR APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES TO THE COAST OF CONNECTICUT AND BACK TO KSNC FOLLOWING THE RIVER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PERFORMED A CONVENTIONAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17 AND HAD A HARD LANDING APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY SNAPPED OFF AT THE GEAR LEG APEX AND DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WENT PARTIALLY AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 300-400 FEET BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN AGAIN ON THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE SECOND TOUCH DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF RUNWAY 17 TO THE SOUTHEAST AND SLID ACROSS THE GRASS AND THEN DOWN AN EMBANKMENT FOR APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET BEFORE IMPACTING THE LAST HANGAR AND GARAGE AT THE END OF THE FIRST ROW OF AIRCRAFT HANGARS. THE AIRCRAFTS? LEFT WING IMPACTED THE HANGAR FIRST AND THEN SPUN THE NOSE AND RIGHT WING INTO THE HANGAR WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST. THE IMPACT WITH THE HANGAR AND ADJACENT GARAGE DOOR CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, RIGHT WING AND FRACTURED THE AFT THREE (3) FEET OF THE EMPENNAGE TURNING IT TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY FOURTY FIVE (45) DEGREES OFF THE CENTER LINE OF THE AIRCRAFT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND NO OTHER PERSONS WERE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA20LA337](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA337), Sep 25, 2020: Lancair 235 (N35FW), Chester, CT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's unstable approach, which resulted in a hard landing, and the separation of the left main landing gear.

## Other reports on N35FW (1)

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

- [Incident 20020921032529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020921032529I), Sep 21, 2002: Amtr LANCAIR235 (N35FW), Suffolk, VA, Minor damage. (-23) Nose gear collapsed while the aircraft was taxiing in after landing. Overcenter mechanism failed to hold the nose gear in the down and locked position.…

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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