- Date
- December 29, 2008, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bayport, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N307MMMichael Muratore Vans
- Defining event
- Landing: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 23, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081229856059A
- Case key
- 73156
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 pilot's failure to stop the airplane within the available runway after touchdown. Contributing to the accident were the failure of the flap system as reported by the pilot and the damp grass.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While landing on an unimproved-turf airstrip, the pilot of the amateur-built airplane attempted to lower the flaps using the electric flap switch. He noted no extension of the flaps and re-cycled the switch. The flaps did not extend and the pilot decided to conduct a no-flap landing. The pilot stated that he made a "low approach to limit glide slope and maintained about 90 kias [knots indicated airspeed]." The airplane touched down in the first 1/3 of the runway, with the main landing gear contacting the ground first. The pilot pulled the control stick aft, allowing the tailwheel to contact the ground, and applied full brakes to slow the airplane. The airplane began sliding on the damp grass and impacted trees at the end of the runway, substantially damaging the left wing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
While landing on an unimproved turf airstrip, the pilot of the amateur-built Vans RV-7 attempted to lower the flaps using the electric flap switch. He noted no extension of the flaps, and re-cycled the switch. The flaps did not extend and the pilot decided to conduct a no-flap landing. The pilot stated he made a "low approach to limit glide slope and maintained about 90 kias." The airplane touched down in the first 1/3 of the runway, with the main landing gear contacting the ground first. The pilot pulled the control stick aft, allowing the tailwheel to contact the ground, and applied full brakes to slow the airplane. The airplane began sliding on the damp grass and impacted trees at the end of the runway, substantially damaging the left wing. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N307MM
- Reported as
- Michael Muratore Vans (RV-7)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 71530
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Teledyne Mattituck TMX IO360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · November 29, 2008
- Departed
- 23N · Bayport, NY
- Destination
- 23N · Bayport, NY
- Airport
- 23N · Bayport Aerodrome, runway 36, 2,740 × 150 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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 15, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 270 total · 8 in this make and model · 220 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- ISP, 3 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.