# NTSB ERA24LA084: Golden Avio S R L F30 Brio, N37GA, Midland, VA, December 31, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 31, 2023, 14:13 local (19:13 UTC)
- Place: Midland, VA
- Coordinates: 38.586285, -77.710631 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5863&lon=-77.7106&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: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193603
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA084
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193603/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193603
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA084

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in damage to, and the separation of the nose wheel and fork bracket assembly, and subsequent collapse of the nose landing gear assembly.

## 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: [Golden Avio S R L F30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05632HY), [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: [Golden Avio S R L F30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=05632HY), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded; cases with it: [Golden Avio S R L F30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=05632HY), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/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: [Golden Avio S R L F30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=05632HY), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Golden Avio S R L F30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=05632HY), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Golden Avio S R L F30, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=05632HY), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he aborted a bounced, 3-point landing at a nearby airport and then decided to return to his home airport. During the subsequent landing attempt at his home airport, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. An examination of the airplane revealed that the nose wheel and nose wheel attach bracket had broken free from the rest of the nose landing gear, and these items were recovered from the aborted landing airport. Following the accident, the pilot reported that he believed that a no-flap landing may prevented the bounced landing. In an interview with the pilot after the accident flight, the pilot also reported that he performed a preflight inspection of the nose landing gear and that he found no mechanical failures or anomalies, and that the nose gear operated normally during taxi and takeoff for the accident flight. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot’s improper recovery from the bounced landing resulted in damage that ultimately led to the failure of the nose landing gear during the subsequent landing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N37GA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N37GA), registered now, S/N 004CE, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GOLDEN AVIO S R L F30 Brio
- Registry model: [Golden Avio S R L F30](https://openairdocs.org/model/golden-avio-s-r-l-f30) (registry code 05632HY) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 004CE
- Year built: 2012
- Airframe hours: 207.8
- Engines: Rotax 912 ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, July 14, 2023, 10.7 hours before
- Departed: XSA, Tappahannock, VA
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: HWY, Warrenton/Fauquier, runway 15, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Airframe parachute, ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 9, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 212 total, 71 in this make and model, 2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observed at: HWY
- METAR: METAR KHWY 311915Z AUTO 23004KT 10SM CLR 10/M03 A2998 RMK AO2 T00971035=

## 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 20231231020819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231231020819A), Dec 31, 2023: Golden Avio S R L F30, Midland, VA, Substantial damage. On December 31, 2023, at approximately 1200, a Golden avio srl F30 took off from warrenton fauquier airport (khwy) for a leisure flight in the tappahannock…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 21, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193603. 8.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 8.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16611066&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%206120%20Form%20Benoit%20B%20Gedalia%20signed_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16710224&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20MOR%20Pilot-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 3, PDF, 7 pages, 549 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16610838&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20Investigation%20Photographs-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.

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