Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tumtum, Washington 99034
Sunday, May 26, 2002 13:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed from a meadow in the Arctic Aircraft S-1B2 "Arctic Tern," and after some local sightseeing returned for landing. He reported that just after touchdown he heard a "pop" and the landing gear collapsed. An FAA Inspector, who interviewed the pilot, reported that the pilot stated that upon touchdown the left main landing gear collapsed, the aircraft began skidding and then the right main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft then nosed over and came to a stop. The pilot reported that the landing site was a flat, dirt field. Metallurgical examination of the left landing gear attach fitting revealed fracture features and deformation typical of an overstress fracture under a combined torsion and bending load. There was no evidence of a pre-existing cracking condition at the fitting's separation surfaces.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Tumtum
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99034
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 475150N
Event Location Longitude 1174702W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 49
Weather Observation Facility ID DEW
Elevation of weather observation facility 2210
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4800
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 13264
NTSB Notification Source FAA SEA ROC
NTSB Notification Date May 26 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Spokane FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N69AG
NTSB Number SEA02LA089
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 Artic Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft Model S-1B2
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1020
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
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 Aug 28 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 1944
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Coxon, Allen B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Ford
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99013
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 --
Departure City Tumtum
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Tumtum
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 9 2003 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --