What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 4/10/2021 at 1520 CDT, an experimental-built, robert a. Pailca Moriah Express, s/n ME01, N97ME, was attempting to land on runway 01 at Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (kcxo), when the aircraft experienced a left main gear collapse, lost control and ran off of the left side of the runway, sustaining minor damage. The aircraft was being operated as a 14 CFR part 91 flight, which originated at big spring mcmahon-wrinkle airport (kbpg) with the final destination of kcxo. The aircraft received damage to the left main landing gear assembly, and the left wingtip.
The pilot stated ?on Saturday April 10th while landing at kcxo I was cleared by the tower to land on runway 01. I had the current weather identifier and good weather conditions. My landing gear indicator was in working order and I had 3 green lights indicating the gear was down and the 3 landing gear unsafe lights were extinguished. After I touched down I felt a further drop on the left side and then a complete collapse of the left gear which forced me off the left side of the runway into the grass. I was the only person on board and was uninjured.?
The pilot stated that this was his first flight in the aircraft, and that privacy data omitted had just purchased the aircraft. A review of the okc aircraft registration file indicates that the aircraft is still registered to the privacy data omitted. A phone call to the aircraft registration branch confirmed that there was no pending change in aircraft registration on file.
The reported winds at cxo at 1453 were 350 @ 11KTS gusting to 18KTS, and at 1553 were 350 @ 8KTS gusting to 19KTS. An earlier observation at 1353 winds were reported at 320 @ 11KTS gusting to 15KTS. The pilot was asked if he knew what the crosswind limitations were for his airplane, but he was unable to answer.
The initial on-site investigation was started by an operations ASI and was then transferred to an airworthiness ASI. Since that time the aircraft and aircraft records have not been made available for further investigation.
When any other additional information becomes available, this report will be amended as necessary.
As the FAA filed it
ON 4/10/2021 AT 1520 CDT, AN EXPERIMENTAL-BUILT, ROBERT A. PAILCA MORIAH EXPRESS, S/N ME01, N97ME, WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 01 AT CONROE-NORTH HOUSTON REGIONAL AIRPORT (KCXO), WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSE, LOST CONTROL AND RAN OFF OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, SUSTAINING MINOR DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED AT BIG SPRING MCMAHON-WRINKLE AIRPORT (KBPG) WITH THE FINAL DESTINATION OF KCXO. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY, AND THE LEFT WINGTIP.
THE PILOT STATED ?ON SATURDAY APRIL 10TH WHILE LANDING AT KCXO I WAS CLEARED BY THE TOWER TO LAND ON RUNWAY 01. I HAD THE CURRENT WEATHER IDENTIFIER AND GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS. MY LANDING GEAR INDICATOR WAS IN WORKING ORDER AND I HAD 3 GREEN LIGHTS INDICATING THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND THE 3 LANDING GEAR UNSAFE LIGHTS WERE EXTINGUISHED. AFTER I TOUCHED DOWN I FELT A FURTHER DROP ON THE LEFT SIDE AND THEN A COMPLETE COLLAPSE OF THE LEFT GEAR WHICH FORCED ME OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON BOARD AND WAS UNINJURED.?
THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THE AIRCRAFT, AND THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAD JUST PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT. A REVIEW OF THE OKC AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION FILE INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS STILL REGISTERED TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. A PHONE CALL TO THE AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION BRANCH CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO PENDING CHANGE IN AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION ON FILE.
THE REPORTED WINDS AT CXO AT 1453 WERE 350 @ 11KTS GUSTING TO 18KTS, AND AT 1553 WERE 350 @ 8KTS GUSTING TO 19KTS. AN EARLIER OBSERVATION AT 1353 WINDS WERE REPORTED AT 320 @ 11KTS GUSTING TO 15KTS. THE PILOT WAS ASKED IF HE KNEW WHAT THE CROSSWIND LIMITATIONS WERE FOR HIS AIRPLANE, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO ANSWER.
THE INITIAL ON-SITE INVESTIGATION WAS STARTED BY AN OPERATIONS ASI AND WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO AN AIRWORTHINESS ASI. SINCE THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT AND AIRCRAFT RECORDS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
WHEN ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE, THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS NECESSARY.
Other reports on N97ME · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.