Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
St. Cloud Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
St. Cloud, Minnesota 56304
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 16:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that while practicing touch-and-go landings he noticed that the nut from the forward door hinge of the left cabin door was missing. He decided to make a full stop landing to inspect further. During final approach, the door separated from the fuselage; the pilot was able to complete the landing without further incident. A postaccident examination confirmed that the forward door hinge bolt/nut assembly had backed-off during flight, which precipitated the door separating from the airplane.
The airplane kit manufacturer guidance indicated that a shear stop nut was to be used in the gull-wing (upward opening) door hinge assemblies. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advises (in Advisory Circular 43.13-1B) that self-locking nuts, such as the type used on the accident airplane door, are not recommended for use on parts subject to rotation. The FAA further advises that the use of self-locking castellated nuts with cotter pins or lockwire is a more suitable method to secure rotating parts. According to the kit manufacturer, the accident flight was the first documented instance where a door separated during flight.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The airplane kit manufacturer’s recommended use of an improper nut type for securing the door hinge.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/17/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | St. Cloud |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 56304 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 453248N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0940336W |
| Event Location Airport | St. Cloud Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KSTC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1031 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KSTC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1031 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2600 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 0 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KSTC 172253Z 32009KT 10SM OVC026 00/M05 A3023 RMK |
| 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) | 29280 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 18 2011 12:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N280JH |
| NTSB Number | CEN11LA077 |
| 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 | Halbrook |
| Aircraft Model | Rans S-6S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 12051716 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 23 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 219 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Airflight, LLC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3681 Monroe Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | De Pere |
| Aircraft Owner State | WI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 54115-8355 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Airflight, LLC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3681 Monroe Road |
| Operator City | De Pere |
| Operator State | WI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 54115-8355 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KSTC |
| Departure City | St. Cloud |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KSTC |
| Destination City | St. Cloud |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 3 2011 9:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | foxt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 7000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |