- Date
- July 4, 2005, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Valparaiso, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5807ZPiper PA-22-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- South Bend, IN FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050704024469A
- Case key
- 61861
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 improperly flared the airplane which resulted in a hard landing and the subsequent main gear collapse.
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 airplane experienced a gear collapse during a bounced landing. The pilot stated he was practicing takeoffs and landings when the accident occurred. He stated that the first landing was "fine." The pilot stated that during the second landing touchdown, he heard a "pop." The airplane became airborne again and the right wing raised slightly. He stated he corrected with aileron and the left main gear collapsed as the airplane touched down again. The pilot reported the left wing and the propeller contacted the runway prior to the airplane coming to a stop. The airplane had been converted to a tail wheel aircraft in 1982. The airplane had been flown 84 hours since the conversion. Inspection of the airplane revealed the landing gear strut was compressed and the gear was folded inward under the fuselage. He also stated the axle was pushed through the wheel and the wheel bearings were broken.
Factual narrative
On July 4, 2005, at 0745 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22-180, N5807Z, experienced a gear collapse during a bounced landing on runway 18 (4,000 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at the Porter County Municipal Airport (VPZ), Valparaiso, Indiana. The student pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at VPZ at 0730.
The pilot stated he was practicing takeoffs and landings when the accident occurred. He stated that the first landing was "fine." The pilot stated that during the second landing touchdown, he heard a "pop." The airplane became airborne again and the right wing raised slightly. He stated he corrected with aileron and the left main gear collapsed as the airplane touched down again. The pilot reported the left wing and the propeller contacted the runway prior to the airplane coming to a stop.
The airplane had been converted to a tail wheel aircraft in 1982. The airplane had been flown 84 hours since the conversion.
The airplane was examined by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration South Bend, Indiana Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported the landing gear strut was compressed and the gear was folded inward under the fuselage. He also stated the axle was pushed through the wheel and the wheel bearings were broken.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5807Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-9662
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Russell D. Ingram
- Registered owner
- Russell D. Ingram
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Destination
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
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
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 45 total · 45 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- VPZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.