- Date
- August 28, 2008, 09:55 local (16:55 UTC)
- Place
- Creswell, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N65017Mason Falconar F-11
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080828844759A
- Case key
- 68826
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 failure to maintain a stabilized approach, inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, and failure to maintain directional control.
Findings · 3
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 entered the traffic pattern and planned to land on runway 33. Initially, no traffic was observed in the pattern; however, just before announcing the base turn another airplane pilot announced that he was turning base for runway 33. The pilot observed the other airplane, which was ahead of his airplane, and he extended his downwind leg for spacing. The pilot indicated that he needed to perform a series of "S" turns to "delay landing" for spacing with the preceding airplane while heading back to the runway's center line. The pilot stated that he arrived over the threshold with above normal sink rate and below normal forward speed. The airplane bounced on the runway, the pilot lost directional control, and the airplane ground looped. The airplane came to rest in the grass with a collapsed left main landing gear. Upon the pilot's subsequent examination of the airframe, he observed that the left wing spar was cracked. The pilot said that the airplane's final approach flight path was not stabilized and that he should have performed a go-around.
Factual narrative
According to the accident pilot, he took off for the local area personal flight at 0925. After performing a few maneuvers and sightseeing, he returned to the airport, entered the traffic pattern, and planned to land on runway 33. Initially, no traffic was observed in the pattern. However, just before announcing "turning base" another airplane pilot announced that he was turning base for runway 33. The accident pilot observed the other airplane, which was ahead of his airplane, and he extended his downwind leg for spacing. Thereafter, the accident pilot indicated that he needed to perform a series of "S" turns to "delay landing" while heading back to the runway's center line. The pilot stated that he arrived over the threshold with above normal sink rate and below normal forward speed. The airplane bounced on the runway, the pilot lost directional control, and the airplane ground looped. The airplane came to rest in the grass with a collapsed left main landing gear. Upon the pilot's subsequent examination of the airframe, he observed that the left wing spar was cracked. The pilot acknowledged in his completed "Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report" that the airplane's final approach flight path was not stabilized, and he should have performed a go-around.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65017
- Reported as
- Mason Falconar F-11
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6249
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2008
- Departed
- 77S · Creswell, OR
- Destination
- 77S · Creswell, OR
- Airport
- 77S · Hobby Field, runway 33, 3,101 × 60 ft, asphalt
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 land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 245 total · 1 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- 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.