Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Andrews University Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103
Thursday, April 13, 2006 13:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged during landing when it departed the right side of runway 31 and the main landing gear collapsed. The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the runway, and that "it appeared [to be] a good touchdown." He stated that during the rollout, the airplane felt "rubbery" and "vibrated or appeared to hop." He lost control of the airplane and it subsequently departed the right side of the runway. The pilot noted that the flight was "very turbulent," although it was "a little more manageable" at lower altitudes. The airport manager reported that skid marks observed on the runway appeared to be associated with the right main landing gear of the accident airplane. He stated that the marks started approximately one-quarter of the way down runway 31, near the first taxiway intersection after the displaced threshold. He noted that the marks were intermittent. Each skid mark was about 18 inches long, with clear (non-skid) intervals of approximately 6 feet between them. In addition, the marks appeared to "jump back and forth" laterally from one mark to the next. They appeared to move from side to side about 6 - 8 inches between each mark. He added that the marks veered toward the right side of the runway, and stopped about 200 feet before the point at which the airplane left the pavement. Marks from the accident airplane continued in the grass area adjacent to the runway. He noted that a pin on the right gear brace appeared to have failed and the brace on the left gear had failed. Winds recorded approximately 13 minutes after the accident, at an airport located 11 nautical miles north of the accident site, were from 230 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Failure of the right main landing gear assembly during landing and the pilot's subsequent inability to maintain directional control of the airplane. Contributing factors were the collapse of the left and right main landing gear and the gusty, crosswind condition.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1340 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Berrien Springs |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49103 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415706N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0862204W |
| Event Location Airport | Andrews University Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | C20 |
| 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 | 668 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 350 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BEH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 643 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 11 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| 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) | 19962 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 14 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 31 2006 10:47AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA-South Bend FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N416 |
| NTSB Number | CHI06CA111 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Lee |
| Aircraft Model | SQ 2000 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0007 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2250 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 116 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Paul Lee |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pierre |
| Aircraft Owner State | SD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | FXY |
| Departure City | Forest City |
| Departure State | IA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1200 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | C20 |
| Destination City | Berrien Springs |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 24 2006 4:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 4161 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |