N4326D

Substantial
None

Murray StarliteS/N: 150

Accident Details

Date
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
NTSB Number
CEN10CA215
Location
Shelbyville, IL
Event ID
20100421X65546
Coordinates
39.410278, -88.845275
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The corrosion of the left landing gear rotor and brake, which resulted in the loss of directional control during the landing rollout, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N4326D
Make
MURRAY
Serial Number
150
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Model / ICAO
StarliteMP20
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
PO BOX 25504
Status
Deregistered
City
OKLAHOMA CITY
State / Zip Code
OK 73125-0504
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that when the experimental, amateur-built airplane touched down for landing, the left main tire “locked up” and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder and aileron, but the airplane continued to veer off the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage when it entered a plowed field, which caused the main landing gear to collapse and the left main tire to go through the left wing. The inspection of the airplane revealed that left main landing gear rotor and brake exhibited rust with “pitting” and “scarring.” The left tire had a bald spot which was consistent with it being “locked up” and skidding. The aircraft logbook indicated that the airplane’s last conditional inspection was conducted on March 24, 2009, which was about 13 months prior to the accident. The accident flight was the first flight since the airplane had been stored for the winter in August, 2009. The pilot reported that he “could have removed the wheels and checked them thoroughly” since the airplane had been in a "barn/hangar" over the winter.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA215