Portland-Hillsboro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hillsboro, Oregon 97006
Wednesday, April 2, 2008 14:23 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight, the airplane lost electrical power. The pilot went through emergency procedures to conserve electrical power, and returned to the airport. He attempted to extend the electrically operated landing gear, but only heard the right main gear come down and lock. There was no emergency gear extension system available on the airplane. Air traffic controllers in the airport tower later confirmed that the gear did not appear to be in the normal down and locked position. The pilot landed on runway 30, the nose and left main gear collapsed, and the right main gear snapped off. The airplane went off the left side of the runway onto the grass, shearing off an intersection marker and causing substantial damage to the wing spar. Postaccident examination revealed that the battery had a dead cell, and the alternator had several discrepancies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The malfunction of the airplane's battery and alternator that resulted in the failure of the landing gear to extend and lock in place.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 4/2/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1423
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Hillsboro
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97006
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 452543N
Event Location Longitude 1225632W
Event Location Airport PORTLAND-HILLSBORO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HIO
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 208
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID HIO
Elevation of weather observation facility 208
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
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) 24011
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Apr 2 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2014 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N456
NTSB Number LAX08IA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bennett
Aircraft Model Lancair 320
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steve Young
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
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? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Aloha
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77006
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code HIO
Departure City Hillsboro
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 28 2014 12:49PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 6600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --