20231016019619I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Bussell Jan Stanten RV6A · Reading, PA · October 16, 2023

Date: October 16, 2023 · 16:22 local
Place: Reading, PA
Airport: Reading Regional/Carl A Spaatz Fie
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N557JB
Reported as: Bussell Jan Stanten RV6A
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 232 total36 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N557JBRegistered now · Bussell Jan Stanten RV6AS/N 21318 · Built 1999 Airframe modelBussell Jan Stanten RV6A Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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 stated that on approach to garden city airport (N57), he was approaching the runway at a faster than normal speed because of a crosswind. At about 50 feet above the runway, he stated that he experienced a down draft and the aircraft dropped violently. He decided to initiate a go around, but the aircraft contacted the runway. The pilot went around, contacted the airport staff to check the gear during a low approach. During this approach, the pilot noticed the nose gear lying on the runway. The pilot decided to go to the Reading airport (rdg) for a longer runway and emergency equipment there. The pilot landed at Reading (rdg) airport with just the two main gear and no nose gear and slid down the center of the runway.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED THAT ON APPROACH TO GARDEN CITY AIRPORT (N57), HE WAS APPROACHING THE RUNWAY AT A FASTER THAN NORMAL SPEED BECAUSE OF A CROSSWIND. AT ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, HE STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A DOWN DRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT DROPPED VIOLENTLY. HE DECIDED TO INITIATE A GO AROUND, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WENT AROUND, CONTACTED THE AIRPORT STAFF TO CHECK THE GEAR DURING A LOW APPROACH. DURING THIS APPROACH, THE PILOT NOTICED THE NOSE GEAR LYING ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DECIDED TO GO TO THE READING AIRPORT (RDG) FOR A LONGER RUNWAY AND EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT THERE. THE PILOT LANDED AT READING (RDG) AIRPORT WITH JUST THE TWO MAIN GEAR AND NO NOSE GEAR AND SLID DOWN THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY.