# NTSB CEN12LA494: Lee Oscar D III RV7, N282DL, Columbus, IN, July 28, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 28, 2012, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Columbus, IN - Coordinates: 39.261665, -85.89611 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2617&lon=-85.8961&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 84515 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA494 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84515/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84515 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA494 ## Probable cause The failure of the right main landing gear attach bolt for undetermined reasons because the bolt was not received for examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear attach sec](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Lee Oscar D III RV7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md?model=05627ED), [All aircraft, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Lee Oscar D III RV7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05627ED), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Lee Oscar D III RV7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05627ED), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Lee Oscar D III RV7, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=05627ED), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis About midpoint in the takeoff roll, the airplane veered sharply to the left before exiting the runway and coming to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear attach bolt had sheared and failed. The failed bolt was lost during shipment to the NTSB’s materials laboratory; consequently, the reason for the bolt failure could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 28, 2012, at 1300 eastern daylight time, a Oscar D Lee III RV-7 experimental amateur-built airplane, N282DL, sustained substantial damage when it exited the runway during takeoff from the Columbus Municipal Airport, Columbus, Indiana. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which was originating at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, about mid-point of the takeoff roll, the airplane veered sharply to the left. The airplane exited the runway and came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane showed the right wing and aileron were buckled, and the right main landing gear was partially collapsed. Examination of the airplane by an experienced RV builder/owner/repairman revealed the right main landing gear attach bolt had sheared and failed. Under direction of the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the owner shipped the failed bolt to the NTSB materials laboratory for examination. The NTSB materials laboratory did not receive the bolt and the owner could not locate the shipment. Subsequently, the reason for the bolt failure could not be determined. The most recent conditional inspection was completed on October 12, 2011. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 272.5 total hours. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N282DL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N282DL), registered now, S/N 72821 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LEE OSCAR D III RV7 - Registry model: [Lee Oscar D III RV7](https://openairdocs.org/model/lee-oscar-d-iii-rv7) (registry code 05627ED) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 72821 - Airframe hours: 272 - Engines: Mattituck TMX IO-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Lee Oscar D III - Registered owner: Lee Oscar D III - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 12, 2011 - Departed: BAK, Columbus, IN - Destination: 8A7, Mocksville, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: BAK, Columbus Municipal Airport, runway 05, 6,400 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 18, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 2,736 total, 344 in this make and model, 2,520 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,500 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F ## 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 20120728017289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120728017289A), Jul 28, 2012: Lee Oscar D III RV7, Columbus, IN, Substantial damage. Pilot was enroute from oshkosh, WI to his home in greensboro, NC. He made a fuel stop at Columbus, IN. During his takeoff roll, the aircraft departed the left… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84515. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382772&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - RV Mechanic/Repairman (item 2, .PDF, 34 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382773&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20RV%20Mechanic%2FRepairman-Master.PDF - Email Correspondence - Shipment of Hardware (item 3, .PDF, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382774&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20Correspondence%20-%20Shipment%20of%20Hardware-Redacted.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.