Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bessemer Alabama Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bessemer, Alabama 35022
Wednesday, April 17, 2002 11:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After a visual approach to runway 5 at 110 to 120 mph with gear down and the flaps half extended, the pilot executed a touchdown on the left main first in a light crosswind. Upon touchdown, the airplane immediately dropped left and veered left, and the pilot had no directional control. The airplane veered off the runway, over an embankment, and into trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left main wheel was separated from the gear leg, the left stabilator was bent, and the right wing displayed leading edge damage. The aluminum casting of the left main landing gear, part number LG93, was fractured and showed no evidence of previous damage or cracks.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper landing flare that resulted in a hard landing and the fracture of the left main landing gear casting.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/17/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bessemer |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 35022 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 331846N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0865534W |
| Event Location Airport | Bessemer Alabama |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | EKY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 700 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 32 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BHM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 644 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 17 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 25000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 999 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1984 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KBHM 171653Z VRB03KT 10SM SCT040 SCT130 BKN2 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12566 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 17 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1400 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2003 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Birmingham FSDO - 09 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N727BD |
| NTSB Number | ATL02LA087 |
| 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 | Greg Grouleff |
| Aircraft Model | BD-5B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 984 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 6 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 600 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | R. David Harcourt |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1156 Riverchase Parkway |
| Aircraft Owner City | Birmingham |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 35244 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EKY |
| Departure City | Bessemer |
| Departure State | AL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1115 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | EKY |
| Destination City | Bessemer |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - roll |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 31 2002 9:01AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 5 |
| Runway Length | 5700 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |