- Date
- July 23, 1996, 20:00 local (Jul 24, 1996, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Belleville, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N596EElliot Steen Skybolt
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 19, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960723019579A
- Case key
- 10316
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 inadequate weld on the landing gear by the builder/pilot.
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
During landing the airplane's left main gear tire separated from the aircraft, causing the airplane to ground loop. Examination of the axle attachment area on the left landing gear revealed signs consistent with a lack of welding penetration during manufacture.
Factual narrative
On July 23, 1996, at 2000 central daylight time (cdt), a experimental Steen Skybolt, N596E, was substantially damaged during landing on runway 16, at the Aero Estates Airport, Belleville, Illinois. The airplane was on its second flight since being completed by the builder/pilot. The pilot sustained minor injuries in the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions, and no flight plan had been filed.
Research revealed that during landing the airplane's left wheel separated from the aircraft. After the location of left wheel separation ground scar marks consistent with a ground loop were visible. The airplane's lower left wing sustained a broken spar and crushing damage in the accident.
Examination of the axle attachment area on the left landing gear revealed signs consistent with a lack of welding penetration during manufacture. No other abnormalities were noted on the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N596E
- Reported as
- Elliot Steen Skybolt (STEEN SKYB)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 58296
- Airframe hours
- 1
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-G1B5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John B. Elliot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 15, 1996 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 7IS2
- Airport
- 7IS2 · Aero Estates, runway 16, 2,600 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 420 total · 1 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KBL, 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.