CEN11CA135

NTSB accident investigation · Allen Raymond H Lancair Legacy · Troy, MI · December 25, 2010

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
December 25, 2010, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
Place
Troy, MI
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N385ASAllen Raymond H Lancair Legacy
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 26, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Adminstration
FAA report
20101225053939A
Case key
78083

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the landing which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the structural icing on the airframe.

Findings · 2

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.

Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to structural icingEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipmentAllen Raymond H LANCAIR LEGACY: 1 caseAll aircraft: 103 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: airspeedAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAllen Raymond H LANCAIR LEGACY: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,681 casesProbable cause

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

Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing and there were no reports of icing along the intended route of flight. The experimental airplane was equipped with a de-ice system, and during the preflight inspection, the system was operational and continued to be operational during the flight. Prior to entering icing conditions, the pilot said the de-ice system indicated a "failure" but he was not concerned because he was in the clouds and the airframe was not accumulating any ice. Shortly thereafter during the descent, the airplane accumulated approximately 6 to 10 millimeters of rime ice. He reported the ice to the air traffic controller who cleared the pilot to a lower altitude. Because of the ice on the airplane, the pilot stated that he maintained a higher than usual airspeed in the pattern and on final approach. While over the threshold, the airplane encountered an abrupt, counter clockwise roll, and he was unable to recover with the altitude remaining. He said the left main landing gear contacted the runway, and collapsed. The airplane turned to the left and came to rest upright on the runway surface. He estimated the wind was from 350 degrees at 10 knots. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the left wing sustained substantial damage. Other than the de-ice system, the pilot reported no additional anomalies with the airplane. The reason for the de-ice system failure was not determined.

Factual narrative

Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a weather briefing and there were no reports of icing along the intended route of flight. The experimental airplane was equipped with a de-ice system, and during the preflight inspection, the system was operational and continued to be operational during the flight. Prior to entering icing conditions, the de-ice system indicated a "failure" to the pilot; however, he was not concerned because he was in the clouds and the airframe was not accumulating any ice. Shortly thereafter during the descent, the airplane accumulated approximately 6 to 10 millimeters of rime ice. The pilot reported the ice to air traffic control and they cleared him to a lower altitude. Because of the ice on the airplane, the pilot "maintained a higher than usual airspeed in the pattern and on final [approach]." While over the runway 27 (asphalt; 3,549 feet long by 60 feet wide) threshold, the pilot "experienced an abrupt counter-clockwise roll...there was no opportunity for recovery." The left main landing gear contacted the runway and collapsed. The airplane turned to the left and came to rest upright on the runway surface. The pilot estimated the winds were from 350 degrees at 10 knots. Examination of the airplane revealed the left wing sustained substantial damage. Other than the de-ice system, the pilot reported no additional anomalies with the airplane. The reason for the de-ice system failure was not determined.

Aircraft

Registration
N385AS
Reported as
Allen Raymond H Lancair Legacy
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
L2K-202
Airframe hours
465
Engine
Cont Motor IO-550-N, 380 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Bowers Harbor Legacy N385as LLC
Registered owner
Bowers Harbor Legacy N385as LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · October 19, 2010
Departed
TVC · Traverse City, MI
Destination
VLL · Troy, MI
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
VLL · Oakland/Troy Airport, runway 27, 3,549 × 60 ft, asphalt

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
56
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
September 1, 2009
Seat
Left
Flight hours
551 total · 227 in this make and model · 479 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
350° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,000 ft overcast

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 26, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 325 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.