- Date
- August 3, 2014, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Frankfort, MI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N80AMGreat Lakes 2T 1A 2
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140803013149A
- Case key
- 89875
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 improper recovery from a bounced landing in gusty, crosswind conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot lack of recent tail wheel landing experience.
Findings · 5
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
The pilot maneuvered the airplane to land on runway 33 at the destination airport. Wind was from 230 at 9 knots gusting to 15 knots. During the landing flare, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The nose of the airplane shifted 30 degrees from the runway heading so the pilot applied full power to perform a go-around. The left wing dropped and collided with terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that he did not have recent experience in his tail wheel airplane. In addition, the pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot maneuvered the airplane to land on runway 33 at the destination airport. Wind was from 230 at 9 knots gusting to 15 knots. During the landing flare, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The nose of the airplane shifted 30 degrees from the runway heading so the pilot applied full power to perform a go-around. The left wing dropped and collided with terrain. The airplane was substantially damaged to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that he did not have recent experience in his tail wheel airplane. In addition, the pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80AM
- Reported as
- Great Lakes 2T 1A 2 (2)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0829
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 1,200
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Private Individual
- Registered owner
- Irish Express LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FKS · Frankfort, MI
- Destination
- FKS · Frankfort, MI
- Airport
- FKS · Frankfort Dow Memorial Field, runway 33, 4,050 × 75 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
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 100 in this make and model · 6 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KFKS
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 88 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.