Summary
On May 04, 2008, a Extra Flugzeugbau EA300/L (N272X) was involved in an incident near Great Falls, MT. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's misjudged landing flare. A contributing factor was the glare from the sun.
The pilot reported that as he approached the airport, he was unable to see the runway due to the sun being low on the horizon until he was on a close left base for the 10,500 foot-long runway. The pilot stated that he was faster than normal as he leveled the airplane to make a wheel landing about halfway down the runway. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced and became airborne. As the airplane settled back onto the runway, the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered to the left, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the undercarriage attach points in the fuselage sustained structural damage and the right main landing gear was separated.
This incident is documented in NTSB report SEA08CA121. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N272X.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's misjudged landing flare. A contributing factor was the glare from the sun.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that as he approached the airport, he was unable to see the runway due to the sun being low on the horizon until he was on a close left base for the 10,500 foot-long runway. The pilot stated that he was faster than normal as he leveled the airplane to make a wheel landing about halfway down the runway. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced and became airborne. As the airplane settled back onto the runway, the main landing gear collapsed. The airplane veered to the left, struck a taxiway sign, and came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the undercarriage attach points in the fuselage sustained structural damage and the right main landing gear was separated. No mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine were reported.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA08CA121