Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
During the landing rollout, the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane veered into a ditch. At the time of the accident, the recorded wind data indicated the airplane would have landed with a headwind at 7 knots. A postaccident examination of the fractured right main landing gear attachment fitting revealed fracture surfaces consistent with bending, followed by tearing deformation. The fractures occurred under bending overstress. There was no indication of any preexisting condition such as fatigue cracking or corrosion.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 12, 2010, about 1033 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hachem E7, N101RU, was substantially damaged while landing at Homerville Airport (HOE), Homerville, Georgia. The certificated private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida at 0830. The pilot stated that during his landing on runway 14 at HOE, the right main landing gear collapsed as the airplane was rolling out. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway and collided with a ditch. After exiting the airplane, the pilot noticed that the right main landing gear had broken away from the strut attachment fitting. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 160 degrees true at 7 knots. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right main landing gear attachment weld was broken. Further examination revealed that the fuselage and the right wing were buckled. There were no other anomalies noted with the airplane. The right main landing gear attachment fitting was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. The result of the examination revealed that the fracture surfaces were consistent with bending followed by tearing deformation. The fractures occurred under bending overstress. There was no indication of any pre-existing condition such as fatigue cracking or corrosion.