# Incident 20230415003539I: Carter Stephen C SX 300, Leesburg, FL, April 15, 2023

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 15, 2023, 08:35 local time
- Place: Leesburg, FL
- Airport: Leesburg International
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.8229° N, 81.8084° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LEESBURG INTL (LEE), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.8229&lon=-81.8084&mi=10
- Aircraft: N87SX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N87SX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Carter Stephen C SX 300 (registry code 056287W, https://openairdocs.org/model/carter-stephen-c-sx-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CARTER STEPHEN C SX 300
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,400 total, 30 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230415003539I

## Narrative

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

ON APRIL 15, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 EST, SWEARENGIN SX-300; EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, DEPARTED FROM LEESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KLEE), LEESBURG, FLORIDA EN ROUTE TO UMATILLA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (X23), UMATILLA, FLORIDA WITH ONE PILOT AND NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER TAKE OFF, THE PILOT NOTED THE BATTERY LIGHT FLASHING, AND THE BATTERY DISCHARGE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TO RETURN TO KLEE. THE PILOT BEGAN EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR ELECTRICAL POWER LOSS, TURNED OFF AVIONICS AND EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT NOTED THE LANDING GEAR PRESSURE AT 1500 PSI AS THE GEAR EXTENDED AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST ELECTRICAL POWER. THE PILOT CONTACTED KLEE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, REPORTED THE ELECTRICAL POWER LOSS AND REQUESTED VISUAL CONFIRMATION FROM ATC THAT THE LANDING GEAR HAD EXTENDED. ATC GAVE VISUAL CONFIRMATION THAT THE LANDING GEAR HAD EXTENDED. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON RUNWAY 13, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR MOVED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE PILOT LET OFF THE BRAKES AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFTING LEFT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STRAIGHTEN THE TRAJECTORY, WITHOUT USING BRAKES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE 'DELTA' TURNOFF SIGN, THE PILOT BRAKED ONCE AGAIN TO PREVENT THE AICRAFT FROM HITTING THE SIGN. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SLOWLY BEGAN TO RETRACT AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED PRIOR TO DAMAGING ANY AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR PARTIALLY RETRACTED AND STOPPED. THE LEFT WINGTIP SCRAPED THE GROUND CAUSING MINOR/SUPERFICIAL DAMAGE TO THE PAINT AND PRIMER LAYERS ON THE AFT PORTION OF THE FIBERGLASS WINGTIP. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR NEVER FULLY RETRACTED WHICH PREVENTED ANY DAMAGE TO LANDING GEAR DOORS OR ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE WING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED AND TOWED OFF OF THE RUNWAY/TAXIWAY INTERSECTION. NO INJURIES OCCURRED AND NO DAMAGE TO AIRPORT PROPERTY WAS REPORTED.

## Other reports on N87SX (1)

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

- [Incident 20171102024809I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171102024809I), Nov 2, 2017: Carter Stephen C SX 300 (N87SX), Mckinney, TX, Minor damage. While approaching mckinnney airport, pilot reported a loss of the alternator. Pilot was able to notify ATC. Pilot then experienced a complete electical failure…

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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