N116ML

On August 22, 1999, about 1000 central daylight time, a homebuilt Wag-Aero Sportsman 2 + 2, N116ML, registered to a private individual, experienced collapse of the left main landing gear on landing at the Peterson Ranch Airport, Grand Junction, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. One passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 0945 from the Wolf River Airport, Rossville, Tennessee.

The pilot stated to an FAA inspector that while on final approach to land to the east when beginning to flare, the right front seat passenger deployed the spoilers causing a hard landing. The passenger then released the spoiler and the airplane became airborne again, then the passenger again deployed the spoilers. The airplane then bounced and touched down hard causing the left main landing gear spring strut to fail. The left wing then contacted the runway and the airplane veered to the left and collided with trees.

The right front seat passenger who helped build the airplane from plans stated that he flies with the accident pilot "frequently" and has flown with him for several years. He has accumulated over 1,000 flight hours, though he has not been an active pilot for over 20 years. He and the pilot previously agreed to keep the spoilers activated once they were deployed. He noted that the airspeed indicator indicated 80 mph while over the "fence", which is normal. The pilot flared, then the airplane landed, and he (George McSparren), then deployed the spoilers only after touchdown. The airplane then bounced which caught him by surprise, and when airborne, he may have retracted the spoilers momentarily but he activated them again. The pilot did not add power when the airplane bounced and the airplane then touched down in a 3-point attitude. He further stated that the pilot didn't ask him to deploy the spoilers at that time and "in retrospect he probably shouldn't have kept the spoilers out after bouncing." After the second touchdown, the airplane veered to the left and the left wing of the airplane collided with a tree adjacent to the edge of the 150-foot wide runway. The airplane then yawed 90 degrees to the left and traveled into a 10-to 12-foot deep, 30-to 40-foot wide brush choked ditch. The airplane came to rest with the nose resting in the ditch and the empennage resting on the level ground. This condition caused the empennage to break aft of the cabin. The purpose of the flight was to visit a friend at the airstrip and he stated that he did not recall a high sink rate before the bounced landing. He did state that the field is bordered by 60-to 70-foot tall trees and if there is any wind, can result in a high sink rate. Postaccident examination of the failed left main landing gear by him and the pilot revealed no evidence of preexisting cracks.

The rear seat passenger stated that he had a clear view of the "D ring" which is used to activate the spoilers and that the airplane landed hard the first time then bounced. Only following the bounce, did he see the right front seat passenger activate the spoilers. The airplane then landed hard a second time.

Examination of the accident site by an FAA inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest in a ditch off the left side of the runway, approximately 800 to 1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway. The airplane was noted to be equipped with spoilers installed in the upper side of both wings.