- Date
- September 17, 2008, 09:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Rexburg, ID
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N826WSnelling Zodiac
- Defining event
- Approach: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 68951
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 private pilot's excessive use of the flight controls and improper landing flair, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent gear collapse.
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 aircraft owner, who held a commercial pilot certificate, was seated in the right seat, and a private pilot was in the left seat, for an instructional/transition flight in the amateur built experimental airplane. The aircraft owner reported that they were landing when the private pilot reduced engine power on short final and the aircraft's nose dropped. The owner said the private pilot pulled the stick back "too aggressively" and then moved it rapidly forward and the airplane subsequently contacted the runway "quite hard." In response, the private pilot increased power and initiated a go-around. As the power increased the airplane's nose pitched up and the private pilot "shoved" the stick forward. The airplane contacted the runway in a 30-40 degree nose down attitude. After contacting the runway, the airplane's nose and right main gear collapsed, which resulted in structural damage to the wing assembly and forward fuselage. No preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane were reported.
Factual narrative
The first pilot, a commercial pilot seated in the right seat, and the second pilot, a private pilot seated in the left seat, were landing on runway 19 as part of an instructional/transition flight in the amateur built experimental airplane. The first pilot/aircraft owner reported that the second pilot reduced engine power on short final and the aircraft's nose dropped. The second pilot pulled the stick back "too aggressively" and then forward and the airplane subsequently contacted the runway "quite hard." In response, the second pilot increased power and initiated a go-around. As the power increased the airplane’s nose pitched up and the second pilot "shoved" the stick forward. The airplane contacted the runway in a 30-40 degree nose down attitude. After contacting the runway, the airplane's nose and right main gear collapsed, which resulted in structural damage to the wing assembly and forward fuselage. No preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N826W
- Reported as
- Snelling Zodiac (CH 601 HD)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 63830
- Airframe hours
- 389
- Engine
- Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Timothy Egan
- Registered owner
- Egan Aviation Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 8, 2008
- Departed
- U56 · Rigby, ID
- Destination
- KRXE · Rexburg, ID
- Airport
- KRXE · Rexburg Madison County Airport, runway 17, 4,200 × 75 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- April 27, 2007
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 618 total · 244 in this make and model · 33 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 3, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 497 total · 1 in this make and model · 376 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None