- Date
- August 24, 2007, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Stevensville, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N435SAIniziative Industriali Italian Sky Aero 600 Sport
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20070824018729I
- Case key
- 67048
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's premature flare that resulted in a hard landing, fracturing the left main landing gear strut that subsequently collapsed. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.
Analysis
The instructor was giving the private pilot an airplane checkout. He said the pilot "flared high and touched down hard." The instructor took control of the airplane, made a go-around, and landed. On touchdown, the airplane "tended to veer left" and it appeared the left main landing gear was "slightly distorted." They flew back to the airport where the flight originated. The instructor made the landing and applied right brake as necessary to maintain runway centerline. There was a loud bang and the left main landing gear failed. The airplane swerved off the runway. Post-accident inspection revealed the left landing gear strut was fractured and bent aft. The composite fuselage was buckled, and the landing gear box was torn open.
Factual narrative
On August 24, 2007, approximately 1400 eastern daylight time, an Iniziative Industriali Italian Sky Arrow 600 Sport, N435SA, piloted by a private pilot under the supervision of a commercial certificated flight instructor, was substantially damaged when the pilot made a hard landing at Cambridge Airport (CGE), Cambridge, Maryland. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane and flew back to Bat Bridge Airport (W29), Stevensville, Maryland. Upon landing, the airplane veered off the runway. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot and flight instructor were not injured. The flight originated at W29 approximately 1330.
This accident was not reported to NTSB until November 5, 2007, because FAA had not assessed aircraft damage.
The instructor was giving the private pilot an airplane checkout. In his accident report, the instructor said the pilot "flared high and touched down hard" at CGE. The instructor took control of the airplane, made a go-around, and landed. On touchdown, the airplane "tended to veer left" and it appeared the left main landing gear was "slightly distorted." They flew back to W29. The instructor made the landing and applied right brake as necessary to maintain runway centerline. There was a loud bang and the left main landing gear failed. The airplane swerved off the runway. Post-accident inspection revealed the left landing gear strut was fractured and bent aft. The composite fuselage was buckled, and the landing gear box was torn open.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N435SA
- Reported as
- Iniziative Industriali Italian Sky Aero 600 Sport
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LSA005
- Airframe hours
- 178
- Engine
- Rotax 912 VLS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- CSP Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 1, 2007
- Departed
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Destination
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Airport
- W29 · Bay Bridge, runway 29, 2,903 × 60 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 718 total · 49 in this make and model · 612 as pilot in command · 57 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2006
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 87 total · 2 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
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 N435SA · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.