San Martin Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Martin, California 95046
Saturday, May 14, 2005 14:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During touchdown, the airplane porpoised, and made a hard landing causing the nose wheel to separate. The pilot entered the landing pattern for runway 32, decreased the airspeed to 80 knots, and selected 15 degrees of flaps. On final, the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) indicated that he was on glideslope. The airplane touched down at 75 knots, and the engine was at idle. After touchdown, the airplane ballooned, and came back down hard on the nose gear. The airplane slid to a stop and a small fire erupted in the engine compartment. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane. He also reported that the winds were from 140 degrees at 10 knots at the time of the landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper landing flare that resulted in a porpoise and a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/14/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City San Martin
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95046
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 370454N
Event Location Longitude 1213548W
Event Location Airport San Martin
Event Location Nearest Airport ID E16
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 281
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18296
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 14 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SJC-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1982L
NTSB Number LAX05CA169
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model C23 Sundowner
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M-1839
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steven B. Frieson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Steven B. Frieson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Claremont
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
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 CCB
Departure City UPLAND
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code E16
Destination City San Martin
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 16 2005 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --