# NTSB WPR11CA130: Allardyce Michael Glastar, N238MA, Wilsonville, OR, February 9, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 9, 2011, 12:55 local (20:55 UTC) - Place: Wilsonville, OR - Coordinates: 45.283332, -122.783332 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2833&lon=-122.7833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 13, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 78316 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11CA130 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78316/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78316 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA130 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to raise the landing gear wheels prior to landing in water, resulting in a nose over. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Allardyce Michael GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=05605VK), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Allardyce Michael GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05605VK), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Allardyce Michael GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=05605VK), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Allardyce Michael GLASTAR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05605VK), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, he took off from the airport in his amphibious experimental airplane with the intention of flying a closed traffic pattern. Because he planned to land back on the runway, he left the landing gear in the extended position. During departure, he overflew a river, located about 3 miles north of the airport, and observed that the water was calm. The pilot stated that he made a spur of the moment decision to land in the river, and he forgot that the wheels were extended. The airplane was not equipped with an aural gear warning horn or gear position lights; however, it was equipped with mirrors on each wing in which he could have visually determined the position of the gear. The pilot stated that he did not check the position of the gear with the mirrors. He indicated that he forgot to raise the gear prior to landing in the water. Consequently, the airplane nosed over as it decelerated. During this event, a portion of the lower engine cowl broke, and most of the front windscreen separated from the cockpit. The pilot reported that he did not experience any malfunction with the airplane. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, he took off from the airport in his amphibious experimental airplane with the intention of flying a closed traffic pattern. Because he planned to land back on the runway, he left the wheels in the down position. During departure, he overflew the Willamette River, located about 3 miles north of the airport, and he observed that the water was calm. The pilot stated that he made a spur of the moment decision to land in the river, and he forgot that the wheels were extended. The airplane is not equipped with an aural gear warning horn or gear position lights; however, it is equipped with mirrors on each wing in which he could have visually determined the position of the gear. The pilot stated that he did not check the position of the gear with the mirrors. He indicated that he had forgotten to raise the gear prior to landing in the water. Consequently, the airplane nosed over as it decelerated. During this event, a portion of the lower engine cowl broke, and most of the front windscreen separated from the cockpit. The pilot did not report having experienced any malfunction with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N238MA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N238MA), registered now, S/N 5238, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ALLARDYCE MICHAEL GLASTAR - Registry model: [Allardyce Michael GLASTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/allardyce-michael-glastar) (registry code 05605VK) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 5238 - Airframe hours: 795 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 E2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 5, 2011, 10 hours before - Departed: UAO, Aurora, OR - Destination: UAO, Aurora, OR - Airport: NONE, Willamette River ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 13, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 13,300 total, 8 in this make and model, 12,175 as pilot in command, 33 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.52 inHg - Observed at: PDX, 20 nm away ## 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 20110209001499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110209001499A), Feb 9, 2011: Allardyce M GLASTAR, Butteville, OR, Substantial damage. Departed uao with intent to return to uao, changed plans and decided to land on willamette river, pilot had never retracted gear (wheels) after take off,… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 14, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78316. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 204 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344810&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Statement (item 2, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344811&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1. Airplane, front & bottom view. Showing extended landing gear. FAA Photo (item 3, .PDF, 436 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344834&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Airplane,%20front%20%26%20bottom%20view.%20Showing%20extended%20landing%20gear.%20FAA%20Photo-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Airplane, right side. Floating on water after recovery. FAA Photo (item 4, .PDF, 355 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344835&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Airplane,%20right%20side.%20Floating%20on%20water%20after%20recovery.%20FAA%20Photo-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Airplane, right side with broken front windscreen. FAA Photo (item 5, .PDF, 245 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344836&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20Airplane,%20right%20side%20with%20broken%20front%20windscreen.%20FAA%20Photo-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.