Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary CHI91DEM03

LANSING, MI, USA

Aircraft #1

N270KT

HUDDLESTON/BECKTOLD GLASAIR

Analysis

THE OWNER/PLT & AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WERE ON A FLT TO CHECKOUT THE OWNER IN THE ACFT. WHILE CYCLING THE LANDING GEAR IN FLT, THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET A SAFE DOWN-&-LOCKED INDCN BY USING THE NORMAL SYS. A DOWN-&-LOCKED INDCN WAS OBTAINED BY USING THE MANUAL SYS. THE CFI RECOMMENDED THAT DRG AN APCH FOR LANDING, THE ENGINE BE SHUT DOWN TO MINIMIZE DAMAGE TO THE ENG, IN THE EVENT THAT THE LANDING GEAR SHOULD COLLAPSE. THE OWNER AGREED, BUT SUGGESTED THAT THE CFI MAKE THE LANDING. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT. HE RPRTD THAT HE SHUT DOWN THE ENG WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 500' AGL 'OVER THE NUMBERS.' AN EXCESSIVE SINK RATE DEVELOPED, AND THE CFI TRIED TO FLARE THE ACFT FOR LANDING, BUT IT TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE RGT MAIN GEAR LEG WAS JAMMED INTO THE WING, WHICH PIERCED A FUEL CELL & CREATED A FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL IGNITED DRG THE LANDING SKID & THE ACFT'S RGT SIDE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY FIRE.

Probable Cause and Findings

FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTION, AND THE CFI'S IMPROPERLY PLANNED APPROACH.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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