Pilot Debrief

HEINLEIN GEORGE GH125 near Okeechobee, FL — 2011-09-19

Final reportERA11LA519
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Date
2011-09-19
Location
Okeechobee, FL, USA
Airport
OBE
Aircraft
HEINLEIN GEORGE GH125
Registration
N79GH
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The non-certificated pilot's improper flare on an earlier flight, which resulted in a hard landing, fracture of the right main landing gear bolt, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear.

NTSB narrative

The non-certificated pilot was taxiing the airplane to the ramp area when the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane rotated 180 degrees, damaging the right wing before coming to rest. A postaccident examination revealed that a bolt in the right main landing gear had fractured. Subsequent examination of the bolt determined that it fractured in overstress due to concomitant shear and bending stresses. In addition, the pilot stated that he might have landed the airplane hard on the day of the accident and also a few times prior to the accident. The right main landing gear bolt had accumulated 265 hours of total time in service. No additional mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have inspected landing gear before flight to prevent failure.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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