Rio Vista Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rio Vista, California 94571
Saturday, August 26, 1995 12:03 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT DURING FLARE FOR LANDING THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND CONTACTED THE RUNWAY DESPITE HIS EFFORTS TO HOLD THE WING UP USING FULL LEFT AILERON CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AGAIN, AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT AND GROUND LOOPED. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FLAP WAS FULLY EXTENDED AND THE RIGHT FULLY RETRACTED, WITH NO INDICATION OF IMPACT DAMAGE ON THE RIGHT FLAP. THE RIGHT WING FLAP ACTUATING PUSHROD WAS FOUND BENT AND THE THREADED PORTION OF THE ROD END WAS FRACTURED. THE DESIGNER OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHO SELLS THE AIRCRAFT TO BUILDERS IN KIT FORM, STATED THAT THE FAILED PUSHROD HAD BEEN SUPERSEDED BY A STRONGER ROD DESIGN 4 YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT IN RESPONSE TO OPERATOR REPORTS OF BENT PUSHRODS. AT THAT TIME, A BULLETIN REGARDING THE CHANGE WAS SENT TO KIT OWNERS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the wing flap actuator pushrod creating an asymmetrical flap condition during the landing flare maneuver. A contributing factor was the failure of the owner/builder to incorporate a manufacturer's design change for a stronger actuator pushrod.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1203
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RIO VISTA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94571
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RIO VISTA AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O88
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 45
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 105
Weather Observation Facility ID SUU
Elevation of weather observation facility 62
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 848
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3204S
NTSB Number LAX95LA306
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SHORT
Aircraft Model LANCAIR 320
Aircraft Series Identifier LANCAIR 32
Aircraft Serial Number 330
Certified Max Gross Weight 1765
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 110
Airframe Hours 746
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD H. SHORT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11612 PALM AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BAKERSFIELD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93312
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DLO
Departure City DELANO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code O88
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 3060
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --