- Date
- October 14, 2011, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Breaux Bridge, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N610ECMichael Cans RV-8
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flights Standards District Office
- Case key
- 82105
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 failure to maintain control of the airplane after striking an unseen sinkhole during landing.
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.
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
During the landing roll at a private airstrip, the airplane struck a sinkhole and bounced 10 to 15 feet in the air. The pilot added power to cushion the next touchdown, but the airplane drifted to the left and entered tall grass on the side of the runway; the landing gear separated and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the composite bulkhead. The airplane slid approximately 150 feet before coming to a stop on its belly. The pilot said that he did not see the sinkhole. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
During the landing roll at a private airstrip, the airplane struck a sink hole and bounced 10 to 15 feet in the air. The pilot added power to cushion the next touchdown and the airplane drifted to the left. The airplane settled to the side of the runway. The pilot decided to land and reduced engine power. The airplane entered tall grass on the side of the runway and the landing gear was broken off. The airplane slid approximately 150 feet before coming to a stop on its belly. The pilot said he did not see the pot hole. The composite bulkhead around the landing gear was split. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N610EC
- Reported as
- Michael Cans RV-8
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 81268
- Airframe hours
- 625
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles Dupuis, Jr.
- Registered owner
- Charles Dupuis, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 23, 2011
- Departed
- KOPL · Opelousas, LA
- Destination
- LA41 · Breaux Bridge, LA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- LA41 · Dupuis, runway 12, 2,280 × 50 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 16, 2010
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 492 total · 40 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.1 MB in all.