Summary
On June 09, 1998, a Leone SMITH MINI PLANE (N5281U) was involved in an accident near Northport, MI. The accident resulted in 1 serious injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's not maintaining airspeed, and his lack of total experience in this type of aircraft.
On June 8, 1998, at 2130 eastern daylight time, an amateur built Leone Smith Mini Plane, N5281U, owned and operated by a private pilot, received substantial damage during a hard landing and post impact fire. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The accident occurred at the Woolsey Memorial Airport, near Northport, Michigan, when the airplane landed hard collapsing the main landing gear and rupturing the internal fuselage fuel tank. The accident occurred on runway 9 (3,663' x 140' dry/turf). A witness stated that this was the initial flight after repairs had been conducted from a previous landing accident. The personal 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed Kreegers private farm strip, near E.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI98LA194. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N5281U.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's not maintaining airspeed, and his lack of total experience in this type of aircraft.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 8, 1998, at 2130 eastern daylight time, an amateur built Leone Smith Mini Plane, N5281U, owned and operated by a private pilot, received substantial damage during a hard landing and post impact fire. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The accident occurred at the Woolsey Memorial Airport, near Northport, Michigan, when the airplane landed hard collapsing the main landing gear and rupturing the internal fuselage fuel tank. The accident occurred on runway 9 (3,663' x 140' dry/turf). A witness stated that this was the initial flight after repairs had been conducted from a previous landing accident. The personal 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed Kreegers private farm strip, near E. Leland Township, Michigan, about 2030.
The pilot was conducting the first flight in this airplane after repairs. He said in his written statement that he departed the farm strip and made a number of practice approached; however did not land. He then flew the airplane to the Woolsey Memorial Airport where he said that he made approximately six approaches before attempting a landing on runway 9. He said that by this time the sun was low and there were long shadows on the ground. He said that the first one-third of runway 9 was well lit with the remaining two-thirds in the shadows. He said he attempted to land on the sunlit portion. He said that when he, "Eased the power too much... ," the airplane dropped to the ground.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI98LA194