# NTSB ERA14CA353: Jannakos Gregory P Zodiac 601 HDS, N4399, Lawrenceville, GA, July 23, 2014

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 23, 2014, 14:12 local (18:12 UTC)
- Place: Lawrenceville, GA
- Coordinates: 33.973609, -83.957496 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9736&lon=-83.9575&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 2, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 89728
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA14CA353
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89728/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89728
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA353

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056187I), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=056187I), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=056187I), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=056187I), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=056187I), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, during landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, separated, and the airplane skidded down the runway prior to coming to rest. The pilot further reported that the landing attitude was level and all three landing gear touched down about the same time. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose landing gear and the firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

## Factual narrative

According to the pilot, during landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, separated, and the airplane skidded down the runway prior to coming to rest. The pilot further reported that the landing attitude was level and all three landing gear touched down about the same time. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the nose landing gear and the firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4399](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4399-2014-08-12), registration cancelled 2014-08-12, S/N 6-4211, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JANNAKOS GREGORY P ZODIAC 601 HDS
- Registry model: [Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS](https://openairdocs.org/model/jannakos-gregory-p-zodiac-601-hds) (registry code 056187I) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 6-4211
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 185
- Engines: General Motors 2700 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, May 14, 2014, 16 hours before
- Departed: LZU, Lawrenceville, GA
- Destination: LZU, Lawrenceville, GA
- Airport: LZU, Gwinnett County Airport, runway 25, 6,000 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 78; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 25, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 490 total, 185 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KLZU

## 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 20140723014899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140723014899A), Jul 23, 2014: Jannakos Gregory P ZODIAC 601 HDS, Lawrenceville, GA, Substantial damage. The pilot reported that at approximately 1300 hrs he was attempting a 2nd touch-and-go at Gwinnett county airport (lzu) runway 25. The weather was clear with…

## Docket (5 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 14, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89728. 5.3 MB in all.

- Memorandum of Record - Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 126 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415168&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Record - FAA Inspector Email (Excerpt) (item 2, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415169&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20FAA%20Inspector%20Email%20(Excerpt)-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Record - Weather (item 3, .PDF, 116 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415170&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record%20-%20Weather-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 - Airplane Post Recovery (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 4, .PDF, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20Post%20Recovery%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Firewall Damage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 5, .PDF, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40415172&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Firewall%20Damage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%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.

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