Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary ATL91LA076

WAYCROSS, GA, USA

Aircraft #1

N71427

DAVID LOWE ULTRA-PUP

Analysis

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS PREPARING TO LAND THE HOMEBUILT, AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR EXTENDED; HOWEVER, THE NOSE GEAR REMAINED UP. AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RAISE THE MAIN GEAR. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON THE GRASS SURFACE ADJACENT TO THE PAVED RUNWAY. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE FRONT FLOAT PODS DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE BATTERY HAD FAILED, AND BATTERY POWER IS REQUIRED TO RAISE AND LOWER THE LANDING GEAR.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE BATTERY, WHICH PROHIBITED THE COMPLETE EXTENSION OF THE LANDING GEAR, RESULTING IN A LANDING WITH THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN AT THE SELECTED LANDING AREA.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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