# NTSB GAA15CA180: Pietenpol AIR Camper, N29NX, Burlington, WI, July 9, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 9, 2015, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place: Burlington, WI
- Coordinates: 42.691387, -88.304443 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6914&lon=-88.3044&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report August 12, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA Milwaukee FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 91554
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA180
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91554/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91554
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA180

## Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing touchdown, resulting in a hard landing.

## 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 · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Pietenpol AIR CAMPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=70401MJ), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Pietenpol AIR CAMPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=70401MJ), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Pietenpol AIR CAMPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=70401MJ), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Pietenpol AIR CAMPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=70401MJ), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Pietenpol AIR CAMPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=70401MJ), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, she landed "a bit hard," and the forward momentum caused the nose of the airplane to contact the runway. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the right aft wing strut and to the fuselage underneath the rudder pedals. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that during the landing touchdown, she landed "a bit hard," and the forward momentum caused the nose of the airplane to contact the runway. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the right aft wing strut and to the fuselage underneath the rudder pedals. The student pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N29NX](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N29NX), registered now, S/N BACH2, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Pietenpol AIR CAMPER](https://openairdocs.org/model/pietenpol-air-camper) (registry code 059040O) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: BACH2
- Year built: 2008
- Airframe hours: 242.2
- Engines: Continetnal C-65-12 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, August 23, 2014
- Departed: BUU, Burlington, WI
- Destination: BUU, Burlington, WI
- Airport: BUU, Burlington Muni, runway 01, 2,410 × 130 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 52; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, unknown; seat: rear; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 54.2 total, 31.2 in this make and model, 14.8 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 7.5 in the last 30 days, 0.6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observed at: KBUU

## 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 20150709009399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150709009399A), Jul 9, 2015: Pietenpol AIR CAMPER, Burlington, WI, Substantial damage. On July 9, 2015 at 6:30 pm the pilot proceeded to runway 1 at Burlington, WI airport for takeoff. Winds were light and variable and sky's were clear. Pilot…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91554. 10.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430579&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 - Fuselage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 2, .PDF, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430580&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Fuselage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Floor Boards (Photo Courtesy of FAA) (item 3, .PDF, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40430581&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Floor%20Boards%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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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