- Date
- May 14, 2012, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Molalla, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9027MHunter A-20 Vista Cruiser
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120514008149A
- Case key
- 83643
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 maintain clearance from a rock during an off-airport landing.
Findings · 3
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 reported that he was looking for off-airport landing locations and observed a dirt road that appeared to be suitable for landing. The pilot stated that, after several practice approaches, he performed a flat approach to the road and landed hard. The airplane’s left wing struck a rock, the airplane veered to the left, and the main landing gear separated, which resulted in structural damage to the left and right wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the flight he was locating off airport landing locations and observed a dirt road that appeared to be suitable for landing. The pilot stated that he performed a flat approach to the road with power and landed hard. Subsequently, the left wing struck a rock and the airplane immediately veered to the left and the main landing gear separated, which resulted in structural damage to the left and right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9027M
- Reported as
- Hunter A-20 Vista Cruiser
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- SA-20C-042
- Airframe hours
- 270
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 30, 2011 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- Hubbard, OR
- Destination
- Hubbard, OR
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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- July 5, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 219 total · 84 in this make and model · 181 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- UAO, 9 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.2 MB 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.