Carlisle Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlisle, Arkansas 72024
Sunday, January 2, 2011 13:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was landing his single-engine experimental airplane in calm wind conditions, when the left main gear collapsed upon touchdown. The airplane veered to the right and the pilot attempted to keep the airplane on the runway by applying engine power and right aileron; however, the airplane exited the runway and spun, which resulted in structural damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the left main landing gear strut revealed that the strut failed due to a pre-existing crack in the weld joint. The crack would not have been readily visible to the pilot during a pre-flight inspection due to the construction of the strut. The bracing around the strut exhibited signs of distress with twisted and shiny fracture surfaces. No other anomalies were found with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the left main landing gear strut due to a pre-existing crack in the weld joint.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/2011
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Carlisle
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72024
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 344817N
Event Location Longitude 0914226W
Event Location Airport Carlisle Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4M3
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28130
NTSB Notification Source LIT FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 24 2011 2:34PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N876KF
NTSB Number CEN11CA143
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name RARDIN WILLIAM I
Aircraft Model KITFOX III
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 876
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John Roman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Cabot
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name John Roman
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Cabot
Operator State AR
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORK
Departure City N. Little Rock
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4M3
Destination City Carlisle
Destination State AR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 11 2011 9:37AM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --