Peterson Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Tennessee 38039
Sunday, August 22, 1999 10:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated the right front seat passenger deployed the spoilers during the flare to land causing a hard landing. The passenger retracted then redployed the spoilers when the airplane bounced. The airplane landed hard collapsing the left main landing gear then collided with terrain. The right front seat passenger stated that he deployed the spoilers after the airplane landed and may have retracted them momentarily but activated them again. The pilot did not apply power and the airplane landed then veered off the runway. He stated 'in retrospect, he probably shouldn't have kept the spoilers out after bouncing', and he previously agreed with the pilot to keep the spoilers deployed once activated. The rear seat passenger who had a clear view of the 'D ring' which activates the spoilers stated the airplane landed hard then bounced. Only following the bounce, did he see the right front passenger activate the spoilers. Examination of the site by an FAA inspector revealed the airplane came to rest in a ditch off the left side of the runway, approximately 800-1,000 feet from the approach end of the runway. The airplane was equipped with spoilers installed in the upper side of both wings.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The improper spoiler extension by the passenger following the bounced landing, which resulted in the hard landing and collapse of the left main landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAND JUNCTION
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38039
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PETERSON RANCH AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 6TN7
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 550
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 267
Weather Observation Facility ID MEM
Elevation of weather observation facility 335
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1289
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 834
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N116ML
NTSB Number MIA99LA236
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 Michael L. Luckey
Aircraft Model SPORTSMAN 2 + 2
Aircraft Series Identifier SPORTSMAN
Aircraft Serial Number 979
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 23 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 487
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL L. LUCKEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 125
Aircraft Owner City ROSSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38066
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 54M
Departure City ROSSVILLE
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 6TN7
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 8
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --