- Date
- September 21, 2017, 15:45 UTC
- Place
- Old Forge, NY
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N233TDThomas J Murray Kitfox Super Sport
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170921016709A
- Case key
- 96091
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 separation of the wheel assembly during landing due to the pilot’s use of improper retaining nuts when he installed the tundra tires.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot in the experimental, amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane, he touched down on a turf surface runway, and the airplane bounced. When the airplane descended to the surface, the right main landing gear wheel and brake assembly separated from the landing gear leg. The pilot reported that the airplane "skidded down" the runway and nosed over. The pilot reported that he had recently installed tundra tires on the airplane and that the four bolts that came with the tundra tire kit were not long enough to properly secure the wheel and brake assembly to the landing gear leg. He recalled that he used four bolts that were longer; however, they were not provided by the manufacturer. He asserted that the nuts he used to retain the bolts were provided in the wheel assembly kit. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing strut and the left-wing spar.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot in the experimental amateur built, tailwheel-equipped airplane, he touched down on a turf surface runway and the airplane bounced. When the airplane descended to the surface, the right main landing gear wheel and brake assembly separated from the landing gear leg. The pilot reported that the airplane "skidded down" the runway and nosed over. He reported that he had recently installed tundra tires on the airplane, and that the four bolts that came with the tundra tire kit, were not long enough to properly secure the wheel and brake assembly to the landing gear leg. He recalled that he used four bolts that were longer, however, they were not provided by the manufacturer. He asserted that the nuts that were used to retain the bolts were provided in the wheel assembly kit. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing strut and the left-wing spar.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N233TD
- Reported as
- Thomas J Murray Kitfox Super Sport (SUPER SPOR)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- KA12155233
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 113
- Engine
- Lycoming 233, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2017
- Departed
- FZY · Fulton, NY
- Destination
- NK26 · Old Forge, NY
- Airport
- NK26 · Old Forge, runway 09, 3,200 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Angle of attack indicator, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Heads up display
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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- July 5, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 180 total · 113 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- KGTB, 38 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.