# NTSB ERA17LA054: Loofbourrow John W Rutan Defiant, N770JL, Morristown, NJ, November 16, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 16, 2016, 15:25 local (20:25 UTC) - Place: Morristown, NJ · Runway 23 - Coordinates: 40.799446, -74.415 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7994&lon=-74.4150&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94421 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA054 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94421/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94421 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA054 ## Probable cause A collapse of the nose landing gear due to wear in the landing gear extension system. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05610MU), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05610MU), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/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: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=05610MU), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05610MU), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=05610MU), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The experimental amateur-built airplane was landing after an uneventful personal flight. While landing on a runway, the retractable nose landing gear collapsed, the rudder that was mounted on the bottom of the fuselage contacted the runway pavement, substantially damaging it. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear system revealed that the bottom of the down lock was worn (beveled). When the nose wheel landing gear was extended, the bottom of the down lock, which hooked over a pivot shaft to lock the landing gear down, contacted the pivot shaft around the area of the centerline and did not extend past the centerline of the pivot shaft. Drawings of the assembly’s normal functions indicated that the down lock could move and unlock the landing gear when the assembly was under load. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated about 1,338 landings. Given this information, it is likely that the wear to the nose landing gear down lock allowed the nose landing gear to collapse during the landing. ## Factual narrative On November 16, 2016, about 1525 eastern standard time, a Rutan Defiant, N770JL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Morristown, New Jersey. The pilot sustained no injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed South Bend International Airport (SBN), South Bend, Indiana, about 1200. According to the pilot, the flight to Morristown Municipal Airport, Morristown, New Jersey, was uneventful until touchdown on runway 23, when the nose landing gear suddenly collapsed. The airplane drifted to the right and came to rest on the pavement on the right side of runway 23, just past the intersection with taxiway G. The accident airplane was a centerline thrust, twin engine, canard-equipped airplane that incorporated a rudder mounted to the bottom of the fuselage left of the nose landing gear. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane incurred damage to the front propeller, the bottom of the front engine cowling, the front engine tailpipe, and the rudder. The airplane had fixed main landing gear and a retractable nose wheel landing gear. It was actuated by a single-stroke mechanism that locked of the nose landing gear in either the up or down positions. Postaccident examination of the nose landing gear system revealed that the bottom of the down lock was worn (beveled). When the nose wheel landing gear was extended, the bottom of the down lock contacted the pivot shaft around the area of the centerline and not below it. Drawings of the assembly indicated that it was supposed to extend past the centerline of the pivot shaft. According to Federal Aviation Administration and airplane maintenance records, the airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate in 2003. The airplane's most recent conditional inspection was completed on January 16, 2016. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated about 1,075.6 total hours of operation and 1,338 landings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N770JL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N770JL), registered now, S/N 61, built 2003 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: LOOFBOURROW JOHN W RUTAN DEFIANT (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT](https://openairdocs.org/model/loofbourrow-john-w-rutan-defiant) (registry code 05610MU) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 61 - Year built: 2003 - Airframe hours: 1075.6 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A3A 180 horsepower reciprocating; Superior SL-O-360-A1XC 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, January 16, 2016, 78 hours before - Departed: SBN, SOUTH BEND, IN - Destination: MMU, Morristown, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: MMU, Morristown Muni, runway 23, 5,998 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 78; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 13, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 5,905 total, 1,245 in this make and model, 5,225 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 12 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: KMMU ## 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 20161116023589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161116023589A), Nov 16, 2016: Loofbourrow John W RUTAN DEFIANT, Morristown, NJ, Minor damage. On November 11, 2016 at 2025Z, N770JL, an amatuer built Rutan Defiant, landed on runway 23 at Morristown Airport. Upon landing the nose gear collapsed and the… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 26, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94421. 23.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 10.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11972805&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20(Signed)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 235 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11973407&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 3, PDF, 13 pages, 12.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11973761&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf - Kmmu - airport diagram (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 379 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11973417&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=KMMU%20-%20Airport%20Diagram-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - airplane information (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 124 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11973919&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MEMORANDUM%20FOR%20RECORD-Rel.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.