# NTSB DEN08LA065: Plocher SHA-Glasair, N315LP, Telluride, CO, February 9, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 9, 2008, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC) - Place: Telluride, CO - Coordinates: 37.950279, -107.900833 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9503&lon=-107.9008&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 67689 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67689/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA065 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in the design stress limits of the nose gear being exceeded. Contributing factors in this accident was the excessive airspeed, the pilot-induced porpoise of the airplane, and the tailwind. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 72 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01030000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis Unicom advised the pilot that the winds were from 260 degrees at 6 knots. He decided to land on runway 09 as per the airport's request to avoid flying over populated areas. He postponed dropping his flaps until he "had the runway made." This resulted in a 90 knot airspeed, "which is a little high," and he crossed the runway threshold at 50 feet agl (above ground level). Full flaps were deployed and he reduced airspeed as he approached the runway. He noticed his groundspeed "was quite a bit higher than what [he] was accustomed to." The first touchdown was 800 feet past the runway threshold and as he pulled back to flare, the airplane ballooned up 20 feet. The pilot flared again but the airplane dropped and bounced on the main gear, then the nose gear, which then collapsed. The propeller struck the runway and the airplane skidded to a halt. ## Factual narrative On February 9, 2008, approximately 1115 mountain daylight time, a Plochar SHA-Glasair, N315LP, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Telluride Regional Airport (TEX), Telluride, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. The cross-country flight originated at Boise (BOI), Idaho, approximately 0800, and was en route to TEX. The pilot told an FAA inspector that he landed "hot" and hard in a slight tailwind. The airplane began to porpoise. The nose wheel broke off and the airplane skidded to a halt. The airplane was transported back to BOI where a mechanic, who examined the airplane, reported finding significant damage to the composite structure. According to the pilot's accident report, the wind was initially reported to be calm, so he planned on landing on runway 09 as per the airport's request to avoid flying over populated areas. As he got closer to the airport, TEX Unicom advised that the winds were from 260 degrees at 6 knots. He decided to postpone dropping his flaps until he "had the runway made." This resulted in a 90 knot airspeed, "which is a little high," and he crossed the runway threshold at 50 feet agl (above ground level). Full flaps were deployed and he reduced airspeed as he approached the runway. He noticed his groundspeed "was quite a bit higher than what [he] was accustomed to." The first touch down was 800 feet past the runway threshold and as he pulled back to flare, the airplane ballooned up 20 feet. The pilot flared again but the airplane dropped and bounced on the main gear, then the nose gear, which then collapsed. The propeller struck the runway and the airplane skidded to a halt. According to the pilot's accident report, he had logged 73 total flight hours, of which 22 hours were in the Glasair. ## Aircraft - Registration: N315LP (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Plocher SHA-Glasair - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 315 - Airframe hours: 700 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-E1A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jon D. Biggs - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2007, 22 hours before - Departed: BOI, Boise, ID - Destination: TEX, Telluride, CO - Airport: TEX, Telluride, runway 09, 6,870 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 73 total, 22 in this make and model, 35 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: TEX ## 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 20080209009779A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080209009779A), Feb 9, 2008: Ploche SHAGLASAIR, Telluride, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) During landing the pilot stated he was a bit fast and upon touchdown on RWY09 he hit hard and began to porpoise until at some point the nose wheel broke… 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.