- Date
- June 16, 2011, 15:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Kenai, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8976RChampion 7HC
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 19, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20110616011089A
- Case key
- 80801
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, resulting in the collapse of the main landing gear, and a nose over.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was landing on a beach when the airplane struck a rock, resulting in a nose over and separation of the right main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the accident sequence. Prior to landing, the pilot made a low pass over the beach, and thought it looked suitable for landing. However, after touchdown, he realized the rocks on the beach were larger than they appeared from the air. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have picked a better place to land.
Factual narrative
The solo airline transport pilot was landing on a beach when the airplane struck a rock, resulting in a nose over and separation of the right main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing during the accident sequence. The pilot made a low pass over the landing area, and thought it looked suitable for landing. Upon landing, he said the rocks on the beach were larger than they appeared from the air, and he inadvertently struck one. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said he should have picked a better place to land.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8976R
- Reported as
- Champion 7HC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7HC-28
- Airframe hours
- 2,955
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Scott Veal
- Registered owner
- Scott Veal
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 24, 2010
- Departed
- PAEN · Kenai, AK
- Destination
- Kenai, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 27, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,700 total · 0 in this make and model · 3,500 as pilot in command · 350 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 384 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8976R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.