- Date
- October 3, 2012, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N63071Sanders Ben G III DR-107
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 27, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121003022479A
- Case key
- 85261
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 attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in an undershoot of the runway.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that he landed short and the left wheel collided with the elevated edge of the runway threshold. During the accident sequence, the airplane's left wheel separated from the landing gear axle and punctured the left wing spar and rib, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that they landed short and the left wheel collided with the elevated edge of the runway threshold. During the accident sequence, the airplane's left gear wheel broke off of the landing gear axle and punctured the left wing spar and rib. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The pilot did not report any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63071
- Reported as
- Sanders Ben G III DR-107
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 94-0067
- Airframe hours
- 220
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 13, 2012
- Departed
- HWY · Warrenton, VA
- Destination
- HWY · Warrenton, VA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- HWY · Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, runway 15, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 22, 2012
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 260 total · 0 in this make and model · 217 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- HWY
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.