FTW04LA188

NTSB accident investigation · Mattie RV-4 · El Reno, OK · July 18, 2004

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 18, 2004, 15:27 local (20:27 UTC)
Place
El Reno, OK
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N464WBMattie RV-4
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 29, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20040718015169A
Case key
59670

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 improper recovery from a bounced landing and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding
Recovery from bounced landing - improperPilot in commandCause
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Main gear collapsedLanding

Analysis

Upon reaching the airport, the 524-hour pilot elected to land to the north, due to the fact that "the winds were calm." After "slipping" the airplane to get on the proper glide slope, the pilot stated that he touched down within the first few hundred feet of the runway, had a "slight bounce," and added power to correct it. The airplane started to veer left so the pilot increased right rudder, with no effect. The pilot continued to add right rudder to the point that he over-corrected and the airplane began veering to the right. The airplane exited the paved surface of the 75-feet wide runway, and the pilot added power to try to execute a go-around. The pilot noted that "due to the high density altitude, high gross weight, and aft center of gravity," the go-around had little effect. The airplane proceeded across the taxiway and back onto the runway "where the right landing gear collapsed due to the high side load."

Factual narrative

On July 18, 2004, at 1527 central daylight time, a Mattie RV-4 single-engine homebuilt airplane, N464WB, was substantially damaged following a loss of control landing at El Reno Municipal Airpark (F28), near El Reno, Oklahoma. The commercial pilot and one passenger were uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed Twin Lakes Airport (2OK2), near Midwest City, Oklahoma, approximately 1500, with F28 as its intended destination.

The 524-hour pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that upon reaching F28, he elected to land to the north, due to the fact that "the winds were calm." After "slipping" the airplane to get on the proper glide slope, the pilot stated that the airplane touched down within the first few hundred feet of the runway, had a "slight bounce," and he added power to correct it. The airplane started to veer left so the pilot increased right rudder, with no effect.

The pilot continued to add right rudder to the point that he over-corrected and the airplane began veering to the right. The airplane exited the paved surface of the runway, and the pilot added power to try to execute a go-around. The pilot noted that "due to the high density altitude, high gross weight, and aft center of gravity," the go-around had little effect. The airplane proceeded across the taxiway and back onto the runway "where the right landing gear collapsed due to the high side load."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, the aircraft was landing to the north at F28 on runway 35 (a 5,600 foot long and 75 foot wide concrete grooved runway). Upon touchdown, the airplane veered off the runway and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on an approximate heading of 270 degrees.

The pilot reported structural damage to the right main landing gear attach point.

At 1453, the automated surface observing system at Wiley Post Airport (PWA), located approximately 18 miles east of F28, reports winds from 030 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, a temperature of 88 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 64 degrees Fahrenheit, with a barometric pressure reading of 30.00 inches of Mercury. The field elevation was 1,417 feet mean sea level. The density altitude was calculated by the investigator-in-charge at 3,575 feet.

Aircraft

Registration
N464WB
Reported as
Mattie RV-4
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
3931
Airframe hours
214.2
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Timothy A. Gamble
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · October 16, 2003 · 117.3 hours before
Departed
2OK2 · Midwest City, OK
Destination
F28 · El Reno, OK
Airport
F28 · El Reno Municipal Airpark, runway 35, 5,600 × 75 ft, concrete

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
37
Injuries
None
Certificates
Flight engineer, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
August 3, 2002
Seat
Front
Flight hours
524 total · 121 in this make and model · 440 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
30° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
PWA, 18 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.