# NTSB FTW98LA207: Schrack Starduster TOO, N5462, Hilltop Lakes, TX, May 1, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 1, 1998, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC) - Place: Hilltop Lakes, TX - Coordinates: 31.030858, -96.109756 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.0309&lon=-96.1098&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 15, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20596 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW98LA207 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20596/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA207 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain the proper descent rate which resulted in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - proper descent rate - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,main gear - overload - Nose down, landing - roll ## Analysis During landing, the tailwheel-equipped biplane bounced and then touched down hard at which point the right main landing gear failed. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and nosed down. The pilot commented that the accident could have been prevented by less sink rate at touchdown. ## Factual narrative On May 1, 1998, approximately 1730 central daylight time, a Schrack Starduster Too amateur-built experimental airplane, N5462, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Hilltop Lakes Airport in Hilltop Lakes, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private pilot, the sole occupant, who was not injured. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal local flight. The pilot reported that during a wheel landing, the tailwheel-equipped biplane "bounced at touchdown and a transition to a 3 point landing was made." He further reported that "the resulting touchdown was hard, at which point the right gear apparently failed." The airplane then exited the left side of the runway, the right main landing gear "dug into the sandy soil," and the airplane nosed down. According to the pilot, the accident could have been prevented by "less sink rate at touchdown." According to the FAA inspector who examined the airplane, the wood spars of the right lower wing and left upper wing were broken. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5462](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5462-2015-05-19), registration cancelled 2015-05-19, S/N 1, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Schrack STARDUSTER TOO (STARDUSTER) - Registry model: [Schrack STARDUSTER TOO](https://openairdocs.org/model/schrack-starduster-too) (registry code 8660316) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1 - Airframe hours: 644 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1B 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Swan D. Person - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, February 17, 1998, 5 hours before - Departed: T38 - Airport: T38, Hilltop Lakes, runway 34, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: rear; flight hours: 488 total, 25 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 360° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F ## 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 19980501008319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980501008319A), May 1, 1998: Amtrso STARDUSTER2, Hilltop Lakes, TX, Substantial damage. During landing, the tailwheel-equipped biplane bounced and then touched down hard at which point the right main landing gear failed. The airplane exited the… ## Other investigations on N5462 (1) 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. - [NTSB NYC07LA212](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07LA212), Sep 3, 2007: Schrack Starduster Too (N5462), Verona, KY, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent stall. 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.