CircumFlightN677TS Fisher DAKATO HAWK accident
NTSB CEN18TA296 · 2018-07-26 · Oshkosh, WI · near OSH
Docket — crew, injuries and powerplant
Summary
The private pilot was landing the airplane on the runway at an ultralight airfield. After the airplane touched down, the left main landing gear (MLG) collapsed at the bottom end of the strut. The airplane ground looped, and the right wingtip struck the ground. The pilot stated that the landing was smooth and gentle, not hard, and that there was no side load on the landing gear at touchdown. He added that he suspected that a previous landing may have been hard, which resulted in a crack in the landing gear. An examination of the left MLG revealed that the upper/outer strut tubing was broken, and the lower/inner strut tubing was bent. There was no evidence of fatigue. It could not be determined if the crack occurred as a result of the accident or was preexisting.
Full narrative
On July 26, 2018, about 1855 central daylight time, an amateur-built Fisher Dakato Hawk airplane, N677TS, was substantially damaged while landing at Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH), Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight plan had been filed for the flight. The local flight originated about 1845.
According to the pilot, he was landing on runway 33, at the ultralight airfield. After the airplane touched down the left main landing gear collapsed at the bottom end of the strut. The airplane ground looped, and the right wingtip struck the ground resulting in substantial damage to the wing rib.
The pilot stated that the landing was smooth and gentle, not hard, and there was no side load on the landing gear at touchdown. He suspected that a previous landing may have been hard resulting in a crack in the landing gear.
An examination of the left main landing gear revealed that the upper/outer strut tubing was broken, and the lower/inner strut tubing was bent. There was no evidence of fatigue. An examination of the airplane and related systems, conducted by a National Transportation Safety Board Investigator and FAA inspectors, revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause
The failure of the left main landing gear for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the ground roll. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident.
Circumstances
- Event type
- Accident
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather conditions
- Visual Meteorological Cond
- Light condition
- Day
- Sky condition
- NONE
- Ceiling (ft)
- 0
- Visibility (sm)
- 10
- Wind direction
- 270
- Wind speed (kt)
- 8
- Temperature (F)
- 70
- Nearest airport
- Wittman Rgnl
- Distance from field
- 1.0
- Airport elevation
- 808
Aircraft
| Registration | Make | Model | Damage | FAR part |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N677TS | Fisher | DAKATO HAWK | SUBS | 091 |
Sequence of events
| # | Occurrence | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Landing-landing roll Landing gear collapse defining | Cruise |
| 2 | Landing-landing roll Loss of control on ground | Cruise |
| 3 | Landing-landing roll Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) | Cruise |
Findings
| Finding | |
|---|---|
| Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined | cause |