Okeechobee Country Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Okeechobee, Florida 34972
Monday, September 19, 2011 9:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The non-certificated pilot was taxiing the airplane to the ramp area when the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane rotated 180 degrees, damaging the right wing before coming to rest. A postaccident examination revealed that a bolt in the right main landing gear had fractured. Subsequent examination of the bolt determined that it fractured in overstress due to concomitant shear and bending stresses. In addition, the pilot stated that he might have landed the airplane hard on the day of the accident and also a few times prior to the accident. The right main landing gear bolt had accumulated 265 hours of total time in service. No additional mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The non-certificated pilot's improper flare on an earlier flight, which resulted in a hard landing, fracture of the right main landing gear bolt, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/2011
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Okeechobee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34972
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 271535N
Event Location Longitude 0805101W
Event Location Airport Okeechobee Country Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OBE
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 34
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 955 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID OBE
Elevation of weather observation facility 34
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
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) 30064
NTSB Notification Source FAA Orlando FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 3 2012 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N79GH
NTSB Number ERA11LA519
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 HEINLEIN GEORGE
Aircraft Model GH125
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 01
Certified Max Gross Weight 1509
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 Sep 28 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 265
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name MIKOS PETER D
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SATELLITE BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32937-4007
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MIKOS PETER D
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SATELLITE BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32937-4007
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 OBE
Departure City Okeechobee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OBE
Destination City Okeechobee
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 3 2012 4:00PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 23
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --