CHI87DEP08

NTSB accident investigation · Unknown Avid Flyer · Cottage Grove, WI · July 3, 1987

Accident · No injuriesFinal report

Date: July 3, 1987, 12:20 local (17:20 UTC)
Place: Cottage Grove, WI
Injuries: 1 uninjured
Damage: Substantial damage
Phase of flight: Approach
Aircraft: N169AFUnknown Avid Flyer
Weather: Visual (VMC) · Day
Status: Completed · report February 14, 1989
Report: Approved by Office Director
FAA report: 19870703037359A
Case key: 13579

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

UndershootApproach - vfr pattern - final approach

Proper descent rate - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Lack of total experience in type operationPilot in commandFactor

In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - flare/touchdown

Terrain condition - roadway/highway

Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandFactor

On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll

Terrain condition - runway

Analysis

On return from the second test flight in the experimental aircraft, the pilot failed to maintain the proper descent rate on short final. An attempt to add power to correct the situation was unsuccessful, and the aircraft touched down on a highway short of the runway. It then bounced and veered to the right and came to a rest on the right side of the runway.

Aircraft

Registration: N169AF
Reported as: Unknown Avid Flyer
Category: Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number: 20944
Airframe hours: 2
Engine: Cuyuna UL430RR, 43 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage: Substantial damage
Flight: Personal · Part 91
Registered owner: Michael J. Litzkow
Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection: Unknown · June 29, 1987 · 2 hours before
Airport: 52C · Blackhawk Fld., runway 27, 2,600 × 40 ft, asphalt

N169AFRegistered now · Litzkow Michael J AVID FLYERS/N 0169 Airframe modelLitzkow Michael J AVID FLYER Engine modelCuyuna ALL MDLS A/BReciprocating

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: 34
Certificate: Private
Airplane ratings: Single-engine land
Medical: Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat: Left
Flight hours: 168 total · 2 in this make and model · 123 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions: Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind: 300° at 5 knots
Visibility: 10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling: None
Temperature: 81 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19870703037359AAmtr Avidflyer · Cottage Grove, WILanded short of the runway and struck lip of a road that was perpendicular to runway. Bent nose gear and propeller.Jul 3, 1987 · N169AF · Substantial damage