WPR11CA022

NTSB accident investigation · Rotherwick Glasair III · Colville, WA · October 21, 2010

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
October 21, 2010, 16:39 local (23:39 UTC)
Place
Colville, WA
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N471BRotherwick Glasair III
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 16, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20101021048439A
Case key
77650

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 misjudged approach and failure to attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway overrun.

Findings · 4

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.

Aircraft capability: landing distanceAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedRotherwick HR GLASAIR III: 1 caseAll aircraft: 68 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide pathAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedRotherwick HR GLASAIR III: 1 caseAll aircraft: 809 casesProbable cause

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 reported that he was landing the airplane in calm wind conditions. The airplane touched down midway down the runway at stall speed. Upon touchdown, the pilot retracted the flaps and applied brake pressure, including full aft elevator, in an attempt to bring the airplane to a stop. With the end of the runway approaching, the pilot applied left brake in an effort to turn the airplane to the left and the airplane nosed over off the end of the runway. The pilot stated that he checked the brakes prior to flight, but felt that they did not function normally during the landing. A witness reported that when the airplane was landing, it floated in ground effect until about 100 feet beyond midfield. The landing gear contacted the runway and the airplane continued to decelerate until disappearing over the end of the runway. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that responded to the accident, skid marks led from the runway to the location where the airplane came to rest. The FAA inspector examined the braking system following the accident and found no mechanical anomalies. At the time of this writing, the pilot had not submitted NTSB Form 6120.1, the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported in a written statement that he was landing the airplane to the south on a 2,695-foot long runway, with winds from the south at 1-2 knots. The airplane touched down midfield at stall speed. Upon touchdown, the pilot retracted the flaps and applied moderate brake pressure, including full aft elevator to bring the airplane to a stop. With the end of the runway approaching, the pilot applied maximum brake pressure. Near the end of the runway the pilot applied left brake to turn the airplane to the left, and the airplane nosed over off the end of the runway. The pilot stated that he checked the brakes prior to flight, but felt that they did not function normally during the landing. A witness reported that when the airplane was landing, it floated in ground effect until about 100 feet beyond midfield. The landing gear contacted the runway, and the airplane continued to decelerate until disappearing over the end of the runway. According to the FAA inspector, skid marks led from the runway to the location where the airplane came to rest. The FAA inspector examined the braking system following the accident and found no mechanical anomalies. At the time of this report, the pilot had not submitted NTSB Form 6120.1, the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.

Aircraft

Registration
N471B
Reported as
Rotherwick Glasair III
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
3380
Engine
Textron Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Bill Perry
Registered owner
US Capital BanCorp
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
635 · Colville, WA
Destination
635 · Colville, WA
Airport
635 · Colville Municipal, runway 19, 2,695 × 40 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
39
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
362 total · 50 in this make and model · 31 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
52 °F, dew point 39 °F
Altimeter
29.82 inHg
Observed at
KDEW, 39 nm away

Docket · 6

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 22, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 987 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N471B · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.