Fruitland Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fruitland, Utah 84027
Saturday, April 17, 2010 14:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the windsock indicated light winds straight down the runway and he encountered some light headwind gusts on short final. During the flare, the airplane ballooned and he applied power to smooth the descent. The pilot stated that the landing was a full stall hard landing, which was the only type of landing he ever performed. The left main landing gear subsequently collapsed, the left wing dropped, and the airplane veered to the right. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane exited the right side of the runway surface and impacted a drainage berm. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the airplane and observed that the landing gear shock cord’s retainer lug fractured and separated. The cords released, which caused them to lose all of the tension required to perform their intended function. The structure had no indication of previous cracking or fatigue, and there were 45-degree shear lips around the entire circumference of the fracture surface indicative of an overload condition.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s improper landing flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1435
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Fruitland
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84027
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401252N
Event Location Longitude 1105017W
Event Location Airport Fruitland
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UT83
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 7050
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1431 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 301
Weather Observation Facility ID K36U
Elevation of weather observation facility 5637
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 36
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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) 26959
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2010 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9019D
NTSB Number WPR10LA207
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-160
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-6154
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 3474
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Ventana Air LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Woods Cross
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84087
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ventana Air LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Woods Cross
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84087
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 No
Departure Airport Code U42
Departure City West Jordan
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1350
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code UT83
Destination City Fruitland
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2010 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 48
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --