Arcadia Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Arcadia, Florida 34266
Thursday, August 27, 2009 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the left wing began to rise during the takeoff roll. He applied left aileron, leveled the airplane, and then “released the aileron for a normal takeoff at which time the plane continued to fall right.” The pilot reduced power, aborted the takeoff, and then the airplane departed the left side of the runway. Both occupants egressed the airplane and noted that the right main landing gear had collapsed. The pilot mentioned that the airplane “may have bounced a few times” during the takeoff. The maximum allowable gross weight for the airplane was 1,260 pounds. Calculations revealed that the airplane weighed approximately 1,315 pounds at takeoff. Examination of the collapsed landing gear in the NTSB Materials Laboratory revealed no preexisting defects, and that the component failed in overstress bending due to landing gear loads consistent with forward movement of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's bounced takeoff roll, which resulted in a collapsed landing gear. Contributing to the accident was the airplane's overweight condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Arcadia
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34266
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 271131N
Event Location Longitude 0815014W
Event Location Airport Arcadia Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X06
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 60
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) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID PGD
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KPGD 271753Z AUTO 12007KT 10SM FEW043 32/22
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) 27569
NTSB Notification Source FAA Tampa FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 21 2010 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40VS
NTSB Number ERA09LA520
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 LUSCOMBE
Aircraft Model 8A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1306
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 2210
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Edward Siwicki
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Port Charlotte
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Edward Siwicki
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Port Charlotte
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 X06
Departure City Arcadia
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code X06
Destination City Arcadia
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2010 1:25PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 05
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --