# NTSB ERA11LA519: Heinlein George GH125, N79GH, Okeechobee, FL, September 19, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 19, 2011, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC) - Place: Okeechobee, FL - Coordinates: 27.259721, -80.85028 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.2597&lon=-80.8503&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 August 29, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82101 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11LA519 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82101/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82101 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA519 ## Probable cause The non-certificated pilot's improper flare on an earlier flight, which resulted in a hard landing, fracture of the right main landing gear bolt, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear. ## 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 · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Heinlein George GH125, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=05624Z7), [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: [Heinlein George GH125, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05624Z7), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Heinlein George GH125, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05624Z7), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Taxi-from runway: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Heinlein George GH125, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05624Z7), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The non-certificated pilot was taxiing the airplane to the ramp area when the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane rotated 180 degrees, damaging the right wing before coming to rest. A postaccident examination revealed that a bolt in the right main landing gear had fractured. Subsequent examination of the bolt determined that it fractured in overstress due to concomitant shear and bending stresses. In addition, the pilot stated that he might have landed the airplane hard on the day of the accident and also a few times prior to the accident. The right main landing gear bolt had accumulated 265 hours of total time in service. No additional mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On September 19, 2011, about 0930 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Heinlein GH125, N79GH, was substantially damaged when the right main landing gear collapsed during landing roll at Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), Okeechobee, Florida. The non-certificated pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to the pilot and operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which originated at OBE. After landing and while taxiing to the ramp area, the right main landing gear collapsed, the airplane turned 180 degrees, and came to rest on the runway. The right wing was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. A post accident examination of the main landing gear by the pilot revealed that a bolt in the right main landing gear had fractured. The pilot, age 72, had previously held a student pilot certificate which expired in 2003. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in June of 2001. He reported 300 total flight hours, of which, 70 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. In addition, he reported that he had flown 5 hours in the last 30 days. According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1993, and registered to the pilot in 2007. It was a two-seat, high-wing monoplane, which had conventional tailwheel landing gear. It was equipped with a Lycoming O-290 series, 130-horsepower engine. The most recent condition inspection was performed on September 28, 2010, by the pilot, who did not hold a repairman certificate for the airplane. The right main landing gear bolt was examined by the Safety Board Materials Laboratory. According to the Laboratory's factual report, based on the deformation of the bolt shank and the fracture surface features, the bolt fractured in overstress due to concomitant shear and bending stresses. According to the pilot, the right main landing gear bolt had accumulated 265 hours of total time in service. In addition, he stated that he might have landed the airplane "hard" on the day of the accident and also a few times prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N79GH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N79GH-2019-12-02), registration cancelled 2019-12-02, S/N 01, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: HEINLEIN GEORGE GH125 - Registry model: [Heinlein George GH125](https://openairdocs.org/model/heinlein-george-gh125) (registry code 05624Z7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 01 - Airframe hours: 265 - Engines: LYCOMING O-290 SERIES 140 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mikos Peter D - Registered owner: Mikos Peter D - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 28, 2010 - Departed: OBE, Okeechobee, FL - Destination: OBE, Okeechobee, FL - Airport: OBE, Okeechobee Country Airport, runway 23, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: rear; flight hours: 300 total, 70 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: OBE ## 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 20110919025699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110919025699A), Sep 19, 2011: Heinlein George GH125, Okeechobee, FL, Substantial damage. An experimental aircraft owner on a pleasure flight departing valkaria airport (X59) decided to land at the Okeechobee (obe) airport for reasons undisclosed… ## Other investigations on N79GH (1) 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. - [NTSB GAA18CA182](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA182), Feb 8, 2018: Heinlein George GH125 (N79GH), Valkaria, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to exit the paved runway into soft terrain, which resulted in a ground loop and landing gear collapse. ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82101. 4.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 632 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40359921&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory Factual Report 12-005 (item 2, .PDF, 179 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40362009&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%20Report%2012-005-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 3, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Okeechobee County Sheriff Short Form Report (item 4, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40367067&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Okeechobee%20County%20Sheriff%20Short%20Form%20Report-Redacted.PDF - OBE Weather Observations (item 5, .PDF, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364084&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=OBE%20Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records (Excerpts) (item 6, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364519&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20(Excerpts)-Redacted.PDF - Memorandum of Record: FAA Inspector (item 7, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40365862&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%3A%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Part (item 8, .PDF, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40367069&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Part-Redacted.PDF 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.