ERA20CA107

NTSB accident investigation · Orlican L60 · Frederick, MD · February 21, 2020

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
February 21, 2020, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
Place
Frederick, MD
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N71GCOrlican L60
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 27, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20200221000369A
Case key
100976

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the approach, which resulted in the airplane ballooning and then veering left upon landing and the right wing impacting 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.

Performance/control parametersAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedOrlican NP Chocen L-60 SF: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,269 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedOrlican NP Chocen L-60 SF: 1 caseAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Wind: crosswindEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specifiedOrlican NP Chocen L-60 SF: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,008 cases

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 was practicing landings as part of a check-out flight. During the final approach, the airplane ballooned slightly, which the pilot attributed to a wind gust. He flared the balloon and then touched down, and the airplane began to veer left. He attempted to correct with full right rudder, right brake, and left aileron. As the airplane came to a stop on the runway, the right main landing gear buckled, and the right wing struck the runway. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm; however, the pilot reported that, after he egressed from the airplane, he saw that the windsock indicated a crosswind. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was in the process of being purchased from the previous owner, and the purpose of the flight was to practice landings as part of a check-out flight. During the second landing on runway 05, the airplane ballooned slightly during the flare, which the pilot attributed to a wind gust. After touchdown, the airplane began to veer left. He attempted to correct with full right rudder, right brake and left aileron, but he was unsuccessful. As the airplane came to a stop on the runway, the right main landing gear buckled, and the right wing struck the runway, which resulted in substantial damage. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm; however, the pilot reported that after he egressed from the airplane, he observed that the windsock indicated a crosswind. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N71GC
Reported as
Orlican L60 (SF)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
150827
Built
1958
Airframe hours
3,925
Engine
Walter M462RF, 315 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Deutsch American Trading Llc
Registered owner
Deutsch American Trading Llc
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Condition · December 17, 2019
Departed
FDK · Frederick, MD
Destination
FDK · Frederick, MD
Airport
FDK · Frederick Muni, runway 05, 5,219 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
None

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
57
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
December 4, 2019
Seat
Left
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
1,024 total · 1 in this make and model · 1,003 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
34 °F, dew point 9 °F
Altimeter
30.54 inHg
Observed at
FDK

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.1 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.