# NTSB LAX08CA170: Scottish Bulldog 120, N416JA, Truckee, CA, May 19, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 19, 2008, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Truckee, CA - Coordinates: 39.319999, -120.139442 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3200&lon=-120.1394&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 30, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 68208 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08CA170 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68208/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA170 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswind and misjudged landing flare. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Airport facilities/design: runway/landing area condition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017035): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Not specified; cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017035/cases.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017035/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 1,008 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified; cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/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: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Scottish BULLDOG 120, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=8060106), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane's owner accompanied the pilot, who had received his private pilot certificate about 2 months before the accident, on a personal flight involving takeoffs and landings. The pilot reported that his approach for the final landing appeared normal. Just before landing he felt a possible wind lull or wind direction shift near the runway's surface, and the airplane touched down harder than average. The airplane's owner reported that the airplane touched down hard in a nose low and right wing low attitude. Immediately thereafter, the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. A subsequent airframe examination by the Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector revealed the nose gear and right main landing gear were damaged in the accident to the extent that the nose gear attachment bracket was broken at the upper firewall attachment, and the right main landing gear attachment was torn from the wing spar web, fracturing the wing spar. The weather observation for the airport was showing winds from 220 degrees at 12 knots, with gusts to 17 knots, at the time of the accident. ## Factual narrative The airplane's owner accompanied the pilot, who had received his private pilot certificate about 2 months before the accident, on a personal flight involving takeoffs and landings. The pilot reported that his approach for the final landing appeared normal. Just before landing he felt a possible wind lull or wind direction shift near the runway's surface, and the airplane touched down harder than average. The airplane's owner reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that the airplane touched down in a nose low and right wing low attitude. The ground impact on runway 28 was hard. Immediately thereafter, the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. A subsequent airframe examination by the Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector (coordinator) revealed the nose gear and right main landing gear were damaged in the accident to the extent that the nose gear attachment bracket was broken at the upper firewall attachment, and the right main landing gear attachment was torn from the wing spar web. A further examination revealed that wing spar damage (fracture) occurred where the main gear had ripped out from its attachment. The METAR weather observation for the airport was showing winds from 220 degrees at 12 knots, with gusts to 17 knots, at the time of the accident. The accident was reported to the Safety Board on June 9, 2008. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N416JA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N416JA-2009-10-07), registration cancelled 2009-10-07, S/N BH-120-416, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Scottish Aviation Bulldog 120 - Registry model: [Scottish BULLDOG 120](https://openairdocs.org/model/scottish-bulldog-120) (registry code 8060106) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-360-A1B6](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-a1b6) (registry code 41849, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: BH-120-416 - Engines: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1B6 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Steven M. Pili - Registered owner: Kevin J. Lyons - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: TRK, Truckee, CA - Destination: TRK, Truckee, CA - Airport: TRK, Truckee-Tahoe, runway 28, 7,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 75 total, 13 in this make and model, 39 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 12 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.27 inHg - Observed at: TRK ## 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 20080519839789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080519839789A), May 19, 2008: Amtr BULLDOG120, Truckee, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Departed ktrk on may 19, 2008 at 1400 pacific daylight time to practice takeoffs and landings, staying in the traffic pattern for runway 28. Completed… 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.