Pilot Debrief

Van's Aircraft RV-12 near Crystal, MN — 2023-09-04

Final reportCEN23LA398
Sign in to save
Date
2023-09-04
Location
Crystal, MN, USA
Airport
MIC
Aircraft
Van's Aircraft RV-12
Registration
N321BT
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and an overstress fracture of the nose landing gear strut.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was landing the light-sport airplane on the runway when it bounced two times. The nose gear collapsed, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the runway in a nose-down attitude. The two occupants were able to exit the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. A postaccident metallurgical examination of the fractured nose landing gear strut revealed features consistent with ductile overstress fracture. There was no evidence of any pre-existing damage to the nose landing gear strut. It is likely the pilot did not attain a proper landing flare, which resulted in the airplane bouncing twice and subsequently sustaining an overstress fracture of the nose landing strut.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have recognized the improper landing attitude earlier.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

Related mishaps