# NTSB ATL02LA087: Greg Grouleff BD-5B, N727BD, Bessemer, AL, April 17, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 17, 2002, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Bessemer, AL - Coordinates: 33.312778, -86.926109 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3128&lon=-86.9261&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Birmingham FSDO - 09 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54542 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA087 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54542/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54542 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA087 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper landing flare that resulted in a hard landing and the fracture of the left main landing gear casting. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - landing gear,main gear attachment - overload - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - tree(s) ## Analysis After a visual approach to runway 5 at 110 to 120 mph with gear down and the flaps half extended, the pilot executed a touchdown on the left main first in a light crosswind. Upon touchdown, the airplane immediately dropped left and veered left, and the pilot had no directional control. The airplane veered off the runway, over an embankment, and into trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left main wheel was separated from the gear leg, the left stabilator was bent, and the right wing displayed leading edge damage. The aluminum casting of the left main landing gear, part number LG93, was fractured and showed no evidence of previous damage or cracks. ## Factual narrative On April 17, 2002, at 1145 central daylight time, a Greg Grouleff BD-5B, experimental airplane, N727BD, registered to, owned, and operated by the commercial pilot, veered off the runway into trees after a fracture of the left main landing gear during touchdown at Bessemer Airport in Bessemer, Alabama. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local flight departed Bessemer, Alabama, at 1115. After conducting maneuvers in the local area, the pilot returned to the airport and entered the airport traffic pattern. The pilot flew a visual approach to runway 5 at 110 to 120 mph with gear down and flaps half-extended. The pilot stated a light crosswind condition was present, and he executed a touchdown on the left main landing gear first. Upon touchdown, the left wing immediately dropped left, the airplane veered left, and the pilot had no directional control. The airplane continued to veer left off the runway at high speed and, after about 300 feet, it went over an embankment into trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left main wheel was separated from the gear leg and found near the touchdown point. The left stabilator was bent, and the right wing displayed leading edge damage. The aluminum casting of the left main landing gear, part number LG93, was fractured and showed no evidence of previous damage or cracks. The BD-5B is a home-built airplane with no published operating manual. BD Micro Technologies, which manufactures a kit version of the BD-5B, lists the stall speed for an unmodified, kit-built aircraft as 59 mph. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N727BD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N727BD-2006-10-11), registration cancelled 2006-10-11, S/N 849 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Greg Grouleff BD-5B - Registry model: [Grouleff Greg BD-5B](https://openairdocs.org/model/grouleff-greg-bd-5b) (registry code 11307J4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Honda CIVIC](https://openairdocs.org/engine/honda-civic) (registry code 33802, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 984 - Airframe hours: 600 - Engines: Honda EB-3 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: R. David Harcourt - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, October 6, 2001, 10 hours before - Departed: EKY, Bessemer, AL - Destination: EKY, Bessemer, AL - Airport: EKY, Bessemer Alabama, runway 5, 5,700 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 20, 2000; seat: single; flight hours: 4,760 total, 550 in this make and model, 4,700 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 999° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: BHM, 17 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020417006179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020417006179A), Apr 17, 2002: Amtr BD5B, Bessemer, AL, No damage. (-23) Pilot stated that on landing the aircraft veered off the runway, skid about 300 feet and hit a tree. Further examination revealed that the left main… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54542. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 600 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428187&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Telephone Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428188&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector's Report (item 3, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170259&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo 1 - Casting Fracture. No original photo available. (item 4, .PDF, 541 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170261&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Casting%20Fracture.%20%20No%20original%20photo%20available.-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Left Mian Wheel and Casting. No original photo available. (item 5, .PDF, 353 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170262&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Left%20Mian%20Wheel%20and%20Casting.%20%20No%20original%20photo%20available.-Master.PDF - BD-5B Spec Sheet (item 6, .PDF, 99 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170269&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=BD-5B%20Spec%20Sheet-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.