Maple Grove Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fowlerville, Michigan 48836
Saturday, July 2, 1988 8:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD 3 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A POWER-OFF LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE 'THE (RIGHT WING) SPAR POPPED.' THE PILOT STATED THAT 'THIS IS A LEARNING CURVE ACCIDENT' AND INDICATED THAT MORE TIME PRACTICING SLOW FLIGHT AND LANDINGS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING DUE TO A HARD LANDING DURING IT'S MAIDEN FLIGHT IN APRIL, 1986. THE FLIGHT DURING WHICH THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED WAS THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRST FLIGHT SINCE THAT ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF HIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT BY TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTIONS FOR RECOVERY FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND ABRUPTLY ON THE THIRD BOUNCE AND THE UPPER WING SPAR FAILED. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN UNDERDESIGNED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FOWLERVILLE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48836
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MAPLE GROVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 65G
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 908
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2456
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 7 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39617
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N192AP
NTSB Number CHI88DEC04
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 PERKINS
Aircraft Model DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Series Identifier DRAGONFLY
Aircraft Serial Number 192
Certified Max Gross Weight 1150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALLEN R. PERKINS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1550 EPLEY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WILLIAMSTON
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48895
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 745
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 3040
Runway Width 110
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --