# NTSB MIA04CA003: William F. Lair RV-6A, N710WL, Fort Myers, FL, October 15, 2003

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 15, 2003, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place: Fort Myers, FL
- Coordinates: 26.560037, -81.870605 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5600&lon=-81.8706&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 5, 2004
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 58195
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA04CA003
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58195/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA04CA003

## Probable cause

The pilot in command's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing and damage to the airplane.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that while practicing touch-and-go landings, the second landing was "somewhat abrupt", which caused the airplane to rebound in the air. He said he did not get engine power applied in sufficient time to prevent another "abrupt" touchdown, which caused the nose landing gear strut to collapse.  According to the pilot, prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.

## Factual narrative

On October 15, 2003, about 1500 eastern daylight time, a William F. Lair RV-6A, N710WL, registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, made a hard landing at page Field, Fort Myers, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Labelle, Florida, the same day, about 1440.

The pilot stated that while practicing landings at Page Field he made the first touch-and-go landing, and then remained closed traffic with the intent to perform another landing. He said that the second landing was "somewhat abrupt", which caused the airplane to rebound in the air, and he did not get engine power applied in sufficient time to prevent another "abrupt" touchdown, which caused the nose landing gear strut to collapse, and the airplane incurred damage to the firewall and the left wing.  The pilot also stated that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N710WL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N710WL-2006-11-07), registration cancelled 2006-11-07, S/N 21016 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: William F. Lair RV-6A
- Registry model: [Lair William F RV6A](https://openairdocs.org/model/lair-william-f-rv6a) (registry code 05602BN) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 21016
- Airframe hours: 200
- Engines: Lycoming O-320-D1A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Morris Florence T Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, May 1, 2003, 200 hours before
- Departed: LBV, Labelle, FL
- Destination: FMY, Fort Myers, FL
- Airport: FMY, Page Field, runway 05, 6,401 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 23, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 1,260 total, 6 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: FMY

## 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 20031015032389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031015032389A), Oct 15, 2003: Amtr RV6A, Ft Myers, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On October 15, 2003, at 1427 EDT, an RV-6A experimental, N710WL, registered to florence t. morris, trustee, and richard a. morris, trustee, impacted the…

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.

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