# NTSB CEN11CA035: Borne Charles A III RV-4, N353CB, Los Lunas, NM, October 17, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 17, 2010, 17:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Los Lunas, NM - Coordinates: 34.759723, -106.745277 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7597&lon=-106.7453&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 77670 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11CA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77670/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77670 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA035 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing and loss of directional control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Borne Charles A III RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056204U), [All aircraft, 9,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Borne Charles A III RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=056204U), [All aircraft, 3,971 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Borne Charles A III RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=056204U), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Borne Charles A III RV-4, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=056204U), [All aircraft, 3,659 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced. In response, he added engine power, leveled the airplane, and attempted to flare to soften the impact upon touchdown. During the flare, the elevator lost effectiveness sooner than he anticipated and the airplane touched down on the runway surface hard. The airplane veered off to the right side of the runway, impacted a drainage ditch, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who interviewed the pilot, the pilot was performing a landing to runway 18 (4,340 feet by 37 feet, asphalt) when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced. He was able to add power, level off, and during the flare the elevator lost authority sooner than anticipated and the airplane impacted hard a second time. The airplane veered off to the right side of the runway, impacted a drainage ditch, and came to rest inverted. The forward spar on the right wing was bent and the vertical stabilizer was crushed down. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N353CB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N353CB), registered now, S/N 001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BORNE CHARLES A III RV-4 - Registry model: [Borne Charles A III RV-4](https://openairdocs.org/model/borne-charles-a-iii-rv-4) (registry code 056204U) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Engines: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: Unknown, NM - Destination: KE98, Los Lunas, NM - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: KE98, Mid Valley Airpark, runway 18, 4,340 × 37 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; last flight review October 18, 2009; flight hours: 700 total, 80 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KE80, 8 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 20101017050199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101017050199A), Oct 17, 2010: Borne Charl RV-4, Los Lunas, NM, Substantial damage. Upon initial touchdown during landing on runway 18 at approx 70 KTS, pilot indicated a/c bounced. Pilot stabilized a/c in ground effect and set a/c down on… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77670. 13 KB in all. - FAA Interview Summary Notes - CEN11CA035 (item 1, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40339667&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Interview%20Summary%20Notes%20-%20CEN11CA035-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.