- Date
- November 20, 1989, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Plainwell, MI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8750RHelio H-391B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 25, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891120046499A
- Case key
- 14594
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
Failure of the crosswind landing gear system to engage on the left main gear due to improper rigging adjustment by maintenance personnel. Factors related to the accident were: unfavorable wind conditions (gusts and quartering crosswind) and soft terrain in the ditch.
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 pilot stated that during touchdown, he lost directional control of the aircraft and it swerved off the left side of the runway. The aircraft's left main landing gear collapsed when it ran through soft terrain in a ditch. The aircraft came to a stop about 200 feet from the edge of the runway. A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the cross-wind landing gear lock system was improperly rigged. The left main landing gear lock pin failed to engage and the left main gear was free to 'caster' during touchdown and on the landing roll, while the right main gear remained locked. The pilot had recently purchased the aircraft. He stated that he should have performed a more thorough pre-purchase inspection. He had 175 hours total flight time, with 17 hours in this make and model of aircraft. He had received specific instruction in the aircraft, because of its uncommon design and characteristics.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8750R
- Reported as
- Helio H-391B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 009
- Airframe hours
- 2,800
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-435-C2B, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gail P. Lown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1989 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- DVN · Davenport, IA
- Airport
- 61D · Otsego-Plainwell Muni, runway 27, 2,650 × 50 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 175 total · 17 in this make and model · 25 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 20 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AZO, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8750R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.