# NTSB LAX08CA040: Eldredge Aircamper SDE, N7229R, Sahuarita, AZ, December 21, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 20, 2007, 17:15 local (Dec 21, 2007, 00:15 UTC) - Place: Sahuarita, AZ - Coordinates: 31.938611, -111.113609 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9386&lon=-111.1136&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 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 67299 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08CA040 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67299/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA040 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed. A contributing factor was the pilot's distraction due to the presence of an automobile, which appeared to encroach upon the runway environment. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - object - vehicle - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The pilot observed a car approaching the runway when he was on short final approach for landing at the uncontrolled airport. It appeared to the pilot that the car would cross the runway at midfield just about the time he would be on the landing rollout crossing the same area. The pilot abruptly applied full throttle; however, the engine's power did not increase. The pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed to touchdown normally, which resulted in a hard landing. Thereafter, the airplane veered off the runway and came to rest with a bent airframe. ## Factual narrative On December 20, 2007, about 1715 mountain standard time, an experimental home built Aircamper SDE, N7229R, operated by the pilot, touched down hard on runway 25 at the Flying Diamond (uncontrolled) Airport, Sahuarita, Arizona. The airplane veered off the runway and came to rest in the adjacent dirt terrain with a bent airframe. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the personal flight, and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot was not injured during the personal flight that was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Sahuarita about 1615. The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that his approach to the runway was normal. On short final approach he observed an automobile approach the runway. The car appeared to be proceeding on a nearly perpendicular course to the runway. The pilot opined that if it did not stop it would cross the runway about midfield, in front of his landing airplane. The pilot stated that, in response to the potential hazard, he elected to go around. The pilot reported that he quickly advanced the engine's throttle, but the engine did not respond. Thereafter, the airplane impacted the ground in a level attitude and departed the runway to the right. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7229R](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7229R), registered now, S/N 001, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Eldredge Aircamper SDE - Registry model: [Elredge Stephen D AIRCAMPER SDE](https://openairdocs.org/model/elredge-stephen-d-aircamper-sde) (registry code 05604W9) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental A&C65 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (registry code 17003, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 001 - Engines: Continental A-65 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Andrew Eldredge - Registered owner: Stephen D. Eldredge - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 6AZ8, Sahuarita, AZ - Destination: 6AZ8, AZ - Airport: 6AZ8, Flying Diamond, runway 25, 2,650 × 35 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2; flight hours: 161 total, 53 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20071220830689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071220830689A), Dec 20, 2007: Elredg AIRCAMPERSDE, Sahuarita, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) On 12-20-07, N7229R, a home-built aircraft piloted by [privacy data omitted] attempted to land at a privately-owned runway near Sahuarita, AZ. A motor… 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.