- Date
- March 31, 2015, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Derby, KS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N61453Fiebich Paul Dean Airbike RX40
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 1, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150331005409A
- Case key
- 91048
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing and separation of the left main landing gear.
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
The pilot had conducted a local pleasure flight and returned to a private grass airfield. He reported the wind was from the southeast and gusting 8-10 mph. He selected runway 17 for the landing and held the left wing down, to compensate for the crosswind. He reported that the gusty wind allowed the airplane to bounce in the air and then descend. The left landing gear impacted the grass runway and the wheel separated from the airplane. The airplane then traveled about 15 feet down the runway, before the left landing gear dug into the ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Factual narrative
The pilot had conducted a local pleasure flight and returned to a private grass airfield. He reported the wind was from the southeast and gusting 8-10 mph. He selected runway 17 for the landing and held the left wing down, to compensate for the crosswind. He reported that the gusty wind allowed the airplane to bounce in the air and then descend. The left landing gear impacted the grass runway and the wheel separated from the airplane. The airplane then traveled about 15 feet down the runway, before the left landing gear dug into the ground. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage and wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N61453
- Reported as
- Fiebich Paul Dean Airbike RX40
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0001
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 1,012.7
- Engine
- Bombardier/Rotax 503, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 27, 2014
- Departed
- 35KS · Derby, KS
- Destination
- 35KS · Derby, KS
- Airport
- 35KS · Blue Sky Ranch and Aerodrome, runway 17, 1,320 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 14, 2013
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,188 total · 1,012 in this make and model · 1,188 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Observed at
- ICT, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 18, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 MB 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.