- Date
- April 12, 2003, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Anderson, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N29MDMcBride Avid Flyer
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Indianapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030412005559A
- Case key
- 56822
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 misjudgment of speed which resulted in a landing overrun. The pilot's lack of experience in make and model airplane, and the ditch were contributing factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage during landing rollout when the airplane nosed over in a ditch. The pilot reported he was conducting a series of high speed taxi tests. He reported, "On the third run, I continued to 'fast taxi' and I suddenly found myself off the ground and in an unstable position." He did not intend to takeoff. Once airborne, the pilot decided, "It would be prudent to familiarize myself with the aircraft as best as I could before I attempted to land." The pilot reported he no experience flying that model airplane before, so he practiced flying the airplane for about an hour before he attempted to land. He decided to land on the grass adjacent to the runway. He reported, "The rollout was smooth, but my speed was excessive and I knew I would not be able to stop the aircraft before I came to the threshold lights." The pilot steered the airplane away from the threshold lights, but the airplane went into a ditch and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On April 12, 2003, at 1200 eastern standard time, an amateur-built McBride Avid Flyer, N29MD, sustained substantial damage during landing rollout when the airplane nosed over in a ditch at the Anderson Municipal Airport (AID), Anderson, Indiana. The private pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 test flight departed Marion Municipal Airport (MZZ), Marion, Indiana, about 1100. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported he was conducting a series of high speed taxi tests. He reported, "On the third run, I continued to 'fast taxi' and I suddenly found myself off the ground and in an unstable position." He reported he did not intend to takeoff. Once airborne, the pilot decided, "It would be prudent to familiarize myself with the aircraft as best as I could before I attempted to land." The pilot reported he practiced flying the airplane for about an hour before he attempted to land.
He reported that he decided to land on the grass adjacent to runway 36 at AID. He reported, "The rollout was smooth, but my speed was excessive and I knew I would not be able to stop the aircraft before I came to the threshold lights." The pilot steered the airplane away from the threshold lights, but the airplane went into a ditch and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29MD
- Reported as
- McBride Avid Flyer
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 19853
- Airframe hours
- 20
- Engine
- Cuyuna 430, 43 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard Collins
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 26, 2003 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- MZZ · Marion, IN
- Destination
- AID · Anderson, IN
- Airport
- AID · Anderson Municipal Airport
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 600 total · 2 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- AID
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.