# NTSB CHI91DEM03: Huddleston/Becktold Glasair, N270KT, Lansing, MI, February 11, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: February 11, 1991, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place: Lansing, MI
- Coordinates: 42.79039, -84.589416 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7904&lon=-84.5894&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 14828
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI91DEM03
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/14828/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI91DEM03

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION, AND THE CFI'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Miscellaneous/other, other
  - landing gear,normal retraction/extension assembly - other (contributing factor)
  - emergency procedure - performed
  - gear down and locked - performed
- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - precautionary landing - initiated
  - planned approach - improper, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor)
  - powerplant - switched off
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - flare - not attained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
- Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,main gear - overload
- Fire, landing
  - fuel system,tank - penetrated

## Analysis

THE OWNER/PLT & AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A FLT TO CHECKOUT THE OWNER IN THE ACFT.  WHILE CYCLING THE LANDING GEAR IN FLT, THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET A SAFE DOWN-&-LOCKED INDCN BY USING THE NORMAL SYS.  A DOWN-&-LOCKED INDCN WAS OBTAINED BY USING THE MANUAL SYS.  THE CFI RECOMMENDED THAT DRG AN APCH FOR LANDING, THE ENGINE BE SHUT DOWN TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO THE ENG, IN THE EVENT THAT THE LANDING GEAR SHOULD COLLAPSE.  THE OWNER AGREED, BUT SUGGESTED THAT THE CFI MAKE THE LANDING.  THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT.  HE RPRTD THAT HE SHUT DOWN THE ENG WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 500' AGL 'OVER THE NUMBERS.'   AN EXCESSIVE SINK RATE DEVELOPED, AND THE CFI TRIED TO FLARE THE ACFT FOR LANDING, BUT IT TOUCHED DOWN HARD.  THE RGT MAIN GEAR LEG WAS JAMMED INTO THE WING, WHICH PIERCED A FUEL CELL & CREATED A FUEL LEAK.  THE FUEL IGNITED DRG THE LANDING SKID & THE ACFT'S RGT SIDE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY FIRE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N270KT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N270KT-1991-05-08), registration cancelled 1991-05-08, S/N 3022 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUDDLESTON/BECKTOLD GLASAIR
- Registry model: [Huddleston D/Becktold D GLASAIR](https://openairdocs.org/model/huddleston-d-becktold-d-glasair) (registry code 0569135) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 3022
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-S1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Patrick L. Quain
- Registered owner: Patrick L. Quain
- Airport: LAN, Capital City, runway 28L, 7,250 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 49; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 1,218 total, 153 in this make and model, 1,076 as pilot in command, 96 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 3,600 ft broken
- Temperature: -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at: LAN, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19910211002079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910211002079A), Feb 11, 1991: Amtr GLASAIR, Lansing, MI, Substantial damage. Had problems with gear in flight. Shut down engine on final resulting in hard impact collapsing gear.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.