# NTSB ERA12LA069: Grenier Raymond Vans Aircraft RV-8, N220RG, Nashua, NH, November 9, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 9, 2011, 11:34 local (16:34 UTC) - Place: Nashua, NH - Coordinates: 42.781944, -71.514724 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.7819&lon=-71.5147&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 29, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82299 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12LA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82299/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82299 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA069 ## Probable cause The right main landing gear collapse due to the overload fracture of the hardware for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident testing and examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: main landing gear attach sec](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Grenier Raymond VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md?model=05622TG), [All aircraft, 66 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023211/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [Grenier Raymond VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05622TG), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Grenier Raymond VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05622TG), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger were returning from a local area flight. The wheel landing and landing roll were described as normal. About 1,000 feet down the runway, the right main gear collapsed, and the airplane ground looped. Postaccident examination showed that spring brackets and a bolt from the right main landing gear had fractured. Metallurgical examination revealed that all fractures were due to overload failure. The postaccident examination was unable to determine the initiating event that resulted in the overload failure and landing gear collapse. ## Factual narrative On November 9, 2011, at 1134, eastern standard time, an experimental amateur built, Greiner RV-8, N220RG, registered to and operated by an individual, incurred substantial damage during landing when the right main gear collapsed at the Boire Field Airport, Nashua, New Hampshire. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, personal flight. The flight originated from the same airport earlier that day, about 1030. The pilot stated that the pleasure flight was uneventful. The wheel landing and landing roll were normal and about 1,000 feet down the runway, the right main gear collapsed. The airplane then ground looped incurring structural damage to the right wing. Further examination showed the right main gear spring attaching bolt had fractured. The passenger also reported that the landing was uneventful until the ground loop occurred. The pilot reported that the landing gear had accrued approximately 80 hours with an estimated 100 landings, and was original to the manufacturer’s kit. In a discussion with the pilot following the repair of the accident airplane, the pilot reported that a possible explanation for the failed landing gear could have been the hardware installation. The pilot received the airplane partially built with the landing gear assembled. The pilot reported that in this situation, the landing gear bolts are difficult to access. Although the pilot ensured that the appropriate torque was applied to the hardware, he stated that one of the bolts may have not been seated properly. During the rebuild of his airplane, he also identified fretting in the area. There were no photos taken of the fretting. Since the accident, the pilot uses a video borescope to conduct visual examinations of the area. Portions of the outboard and inboard landing gear spring brackets and the fasteners were submitted to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. All of the fractured components exhibited features consistent with overload failure. X-ray florescence spectroscopy revealed that both landing gear spring brackets were consistent with a 4120 steel alloy. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N220RG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N220RG-2016-09-27), registration cancelled 2016-09-27, S/N 004, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GRENIER RAYMOND VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8 - Registry model: [Grenier Raymond VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8](https://openairdocs.org/model/grenier-raymond-vans-aircraft-rv-8) (registry code 05622TG) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-A1B6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6) (registry code 41576, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 004 - Airframe hours: 74 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B6 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 22, 2012, 8 hours before - Departed: KASH, Nashua, NH - Destination: KASH, Nashua, NH - Airport: KASH, Boire Field, runway 14, 5,501 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 27, 2011; seat: front; flight hours: 2,102 total, 768 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: ASH ## 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 20111109025669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111109025669A), Nov 9, 2011: Grenier Raymond VANS AIRCRAFT RV-8, Nashua, NH, Substantial damage. Pilot in command landed on runway 32 Boire Fld Nashua, NH (ash) at 1134 hrs. After touching down and while in the rollout the right main landing gear… ## Other investigations on N220RG (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 GAA16CA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA230), May 11, 2016: Grenier Raymond Vans Aircraft (N220RG), Keene, NH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane striking a deer during the landing roll, resulting in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and subsequent nose over. ## Docket (7 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82299. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 843 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374321&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Passenger & Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374324&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20%26%20Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Pilot Record of Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 18 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40398407&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Reports from Federal Agencies (Inspector's Statement) (item 4, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374323&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies%20(Inspector%27s%20Statement)-Master.PDF - Miscellaneous (Maintenance Records) (item 5, .PDF, 498 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374322&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Miscellaneous%20(Maintenance%20Records)-Redacted.PDF - Materials Laboratory Report 12-125 (item 6, .PDF, 3 photos, 317 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40382402&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Report%2012-125-Master.PDF - Photo 1 Wing Damage (Courtesy of the FAA) (item 7, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40374325&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20Wing%20Damage%20(Courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)-Master.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.