La Junta Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Junta, Colorado 81050
Friday, July 6, 2001 10:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

When the pilot slowed the airplane and extended the landing gear, he heard the usual loud aerodynamic noise and observed three green lights indicating the landing gear was down and locked. Instead of touching down on its wheels, the airplane landed wheels up. Postaccident inspection revealed all three wheels were in their respective wheel wells. The main landing gear doors were partially open, and there was hydraulic pressure on the right inboard door. The landing gear control was confirmed to be in the DOWN position. The landing gear UP RELAY was hot to the touch. What appeared to be the beginning of a mouse nest was noted in the center console where the gear, flap, starter, and power wires pass.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a wheels-up landing due to an uncommanded gear retraction resulting from a short circuit of the landing gear electrical wiring.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City La Junta
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81050
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport La Junta Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LHX
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 4238
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID LHX
Elevation of weather observation facility 4238
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) 7065
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10815
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1621
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 23 2001 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15EG
NTSB Number DEN01LA121
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Griffith-Boyd
Aircraft Model Lancair 360
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 727-320-570FB
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 194
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Donald J. Ryan
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Beaumont
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 777071823
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code LHX
Departure City La Junta
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LHX
Destination City La Junta
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 3 2001 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 6848
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --