# NTSB CEN10LA506: Ashcraft DR107, N123TA, Aurora, IL, August 21, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 21, 2010, 11:47 local (16:47 UTC) - Place: Aurora, IL - Coordinates: 41.771945, -88.475555 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7719&lon=-88.4756&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 11, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 77126 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA506 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77126/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77126 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA506 ## Probable cause The low cycle fatigue failure of the tail wheel spring during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: nose/tail gear strut/axle](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Ashcraft Todd DR107, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222/cases.md?model=0560532), [All aircraft, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Ashcraft Todd DR107, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=0560532), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Ashcraft Todd DR107, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0560532), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Ashcraft Todd DR107, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0560532), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot aborted a landing after the tail wheel spring fractured. The pilot attempted another landing by keeping the tail off the runway surface until the airspeed decreased. When the tail contacted the runway, the airplane veered and ground looped. The left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the tail wheel spring revealed a low cycle fatigue fracture. ## Factual narrative On August 21, 2010, at 1147 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Ashcraft DR107, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during landing on runway 27 at Aurora Municipal Airport, Aurora, Illinois. The pilot was attempting a landing with a separated tail wheel spring that had fractured during a previous landing attempt. The airplane then veered off the runway and nosed over. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The airline transport pilot was uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight originated at 1130. The pilot stated that during the second landing of the flight, he felt/heard something "give way" in the rear of the airplane. The tail of the airplane also "felt lower" than it should have been during the landing. He aborted the landing and contacted the airport's air traffic control (ATC) tower asking them to check the tail wheel. The ATC tower controller reportedly told the pilot that the tail wheel was hanging by a cable. The pilot returned and attempted a landing on runway 27 (6,501 by 100 feet, concrete) by keeping the tail off the runway surface until the airspeed decreased. When the tail/rudder contacted the runway surface, the airplane veered off the runway and ground looped. The left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over. The tail wheel spring had a reported total time in service of 81.8 hours. Examination of the tail wheel spring revealed low cycle fatigue fracture. The tail wheel spring was originally designed with a bent tail wheel spring from heat treated 17-4 steel. The spring was 3/4 inch square, transitioning to just under 3/4 inch round, tapering to just under 5/8 inch at the tail wheel. The tail wheel spring was redesigned since the accident with the prototype spring being 7/8 inch round, 24 inch long and straight, and tapering towards the end down to 5/8 inch to fit the tail wheel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N123TA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N123TA), registered now, S/N 001/199 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Ashcraft DR107 - Registry model: [Ashcraft Todd DR107](https://openairdocs.org/model/ashcraft-todd-dr107) (registry code 0560532) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Airframe hours: 81.8 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Todd Ashcraft - Registered owner: Todd Ashcraft - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 23, 2010, 7.82 hours before - Departed: ARR, Aurora, IL - Destination: Aurora, IL - Airport: ARR, Aurora Municipal Airport, runway 27, 6,501 × 100 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 7, 2008; seat: center; flight hours: 8,350 total, 8 in this make and model, 6,341 as pilot in command, 207 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: ARR ## 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 20100821044709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100821044709A), Aug 21, 2010: Ashcraft To DR107, Sugar Grove, IL, Substantial damage. On second landing attempt tailspring broke. On third landing attempt pilot made a low pass and asked tower to observe tailspring. Tower stated tailspring was… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 3, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77126. 536 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 501 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341085&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Meteorology - ARR ASOS (item 2, .PDF, 35 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341086&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%20-%20ARR%20ASOS-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.