N1914L

On August 26, 1993, at 1200 central daylight time (CDT), a Beech BE-19, N1914L, registered to Hawkeye Aviation, Incorporated, of Elkhart, Indiana, was substantially damaged during a hard landing onto Runway 27 (6,500' X 120' dry asphalt) at the Elkhart Municipal Airport, Elkhart, Indiana. The airplane was piloted by a student pilot and a commercially certificated flight instructor. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and the 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating under a flight plan. The student pilot and instructor reported no injuries. The flight originated from Elkhart, Indiana, at 1130 CDT.

According to the instructor's written statement on NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the student pilot was performing a short field landing over a fictitious 50 foot obstacle. She stated that once the airplane cleared the fictitious obstacle its sink rate began to increase. She stated the student applied power to arrest the sink rate. The airspeed, according to the instructor, "...was well maintained..." and the airplane did not touch down with a side load on the main landing gear. The landing touchdown was "...firm..." according to the instructor. She stated that she would not classify the landing as "Hard."

During an interview with the instructor, she stated the student was preparing for a private pilot flight test. She said the short field landing was not new to the student and that he had performed many of them before the one that lead to the accident. She stated the descent rate and glide path were a little steeper than they should have been, but that the student applied power that corrected for the steep descent rate and glide path observed by the instructor and student pilot. The instructor said the airspeed was at 75 MPH until touchdown.

During an interview with the student pilot he repeated what the instructor had said. He added that the touchdown was not any firmer than those he and the instructor had performed in the past.

The on-scene investigation revealed that the main landing gear leg and mount had separated from the wing spar mount. The assembly was found on the runway. An examination of the separation showed to be consistent with an instantaneous overload failure. The left and right side of the aft fuselage, adjacent to the stabilator's root, was wrinkled. The right wing's top skin, and area located above the main landing gear, was torn. The right wing flap's trailing edge was bent downward in an area in line with the main landing gear leg.