- Date
- June 2, 2016, 20:10 local (Jun 3, 2016, 01:10 UTC)
- Place
- Prospect Heights, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N126RGStaudacher S 300
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160602005839A
- Case key
- 93318
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's incorrect pitch control during the landing, which resulted in a hard bounced landing, and subsequent left main landing gear collapse, a runway excursion, and a collision with a runway sign.
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.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he landed hard and bounced. The pilot further reported that after the bounce, he knew that the left main landing gear had collapsed, and he held the left wing off of the runway until the airplane slowed and the wing stopped producing lift. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the runway to the left and collided with runway signs, which resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that the "½ inch fine thread bolt" on the left main landing gear failed during the bounced landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he landed hard and bounced. The pilot further reported that after the bounce, he knew that the left main landing gear had collapsed, and he held the left wing off of the runway until the airplane slowed and the wing stopped producing lift. Subsequently, the airplane veered off the runway to the left and collided with runway signs, which resulted in substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that the "½ inch fine thread bolt" on the left main landing gear failed during the bounced landing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N126RG
- Reported as
- Staudacher S 300 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 26
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 478.5
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Petersen, Alfred C.
- Registered owner
- Petersen, Alfred C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 2, 2015
- Departed
- PWK · Prospect Heights, IL
- Destination
- PWK · Prospect Heights, IL
- Airport
- PWK · Chicago Executive, runway 12, 4,415 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 27, 2015
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 1,764 total · 193 in this make and model · 1,764 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KPWK
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 28, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.