- Date
- August 20, 2008, 12:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Salisbury, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N20HUFerree Prostar B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080820846099A
- Case key
- 68751
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 improper flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
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/owner/builder of the experimental amateur-built Prostar B was completing his first traffic pattern of the day, which was also the airplane's fourth flight. While on final approach for landing on Runway 23, the airplane's alignment was "a little left of centerline." The pilot adjusted the airplane's alignment with the runway, his airspeed "bled off" before the airplane "ballooned" and then dropped to the runway. The airplane experienced a hard landing, the main landing gear separated, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. When asked about the performance and handling characteristics of the airplane, the pilot reported that the airplane was running fine, but that the left wing was "heavy" and that he had recently made rigging adjustments to correct it. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. Winds reported at the airport were from 140 degrees at 5 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot/owner/builder of the experimental amateur-built Prostar B, he was completing his first traffic pattern of the day, which was also the airplane's fourth flight. While on final approach for landing on Runway 23, the airplane's alignment was "a little left of centerline." The pilot said that as he adjusted the airplane's alignment with the runway, his airspeed "bled off" before the airplane "ballooned" and then dropped to the runway. The airplane experienced a hard landing, the main landing gear separated, and the airplane skidded to a stop on the runway. When asked about the performance and handling characteristics of the airplane, the pilot reported that the airplane was running fine, but that the left wing was "heavy" and that he had recently made rigging adjustments to correct it. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. Winds reported at the airport were from 140 degrees at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20HU
- Reported as
- Ferree Prostar B
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- PT1184
- Airframe hours
- 12
- Engine
- Lycoming O320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Howard B. Ferree
- Registered owner
- Howard B. Ferree
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 1, 2008 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- SBY · Salisbury, MD
- Destination
- SBY · Salisbury, MD
- Airport
- SBY · Salisbury-Wicomico County Regi, runway 23, 5,000 × 100 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
- 79
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 606 total · 12 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- SBY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.