- Date
- September 11, 2007, 09:37 local (14:37 UTC)
- Place
- Alabaster, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N335DFLancair IV-P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070911019519A
- Case key
- 66646
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 attain the proper touchdown point.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Upon arrival at his destination airport the pilot of an amateur built Lancair IV-P, joined the traffic pattern for landing. During the final approach for landing, the airplane touched down about 8 feet prior to the paved runway surface. Both main gear wheels then impacted the edge of the runway pavement, which was approximately 4 inches higher than the surrounding terrain. The right main landing gear wheel separated from the gear leg and the pilot attempted to keep the airplane on the runway centerline. He was unsuccessful, and the airplane veered to the right. It then departed the right side of the runway, impacted a ditch, and then trees. The airplane came to rest after impacting the trees, and had sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that the air was smooth prior to the approach and that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the air was smooth and there were no mechanical malfunctions with the amateur built Lancair IV-P. Upon arrival at his destination airport, he joined the traffic pattern for landing. During the final approach for landing, the airplane touched down about 8 feet prior to the paved runway surface. Both main gear wheels then impacted the edge of the runway pavement, which was approximately 4 inches higher than the surrounding terrain. The right main landing gear wheel separated from the gear leg and the pilot applied "full" left brake and rudder input in an attempt to keep the airplane on the runway centerline. He was unsuccessful, and the airplane began veering to the right. It then departed the right side of the runway, and impacted a ditch which sheared the nose landing gear and collapsed both main landing gear legs. The airplane came to rest approximately 12 feet beyond the ditch after impacting trees, and had sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N335DF
- Reported as
- Lancair IV-P
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- LIV231
- Airframe hours
- 404
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-550-E2B, 350 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 1, 2007
- Departed
- TCL · Tuscaloosa, AL
- Destination
- EET · Alabaster, AL
- Airport
- EET · Shelby County Airport, runway 15, 5,000 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,274 total · 404 in this make and model · 1,059 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- EET
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.