Lorain County Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elyria, Ohio 44035
Thursday, July 19, 2012 22:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that, on the day of the accident, he had accomplished three landings in the accident airplane and that he was pleased with these landings. Forty-five minutes after the last day landing, he took off for a night flight. During the first attempted landing, he misjudged the flare, and the airplane bounced. He subsequently performed a go-around and again misjudged the landing flare. The airplane subsequently bounced hard on the runway, which resulted in a flat nosewheel tire and firewall and right main landing gear damage. Although examination of the right main landing gear leg revealed several manufacturing defects that have since been addressed by the landing gear leg manufacturer, the accident was likely caused by the pilot’s misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and the subsequent right main landing gear damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Elyria
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44035
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412039N
Event Location Longitude 0821040W
Event Location Airport Lorain County Regional Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LPR
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 793
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LPR
Elevation of weather observation facility 793
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 29.91
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) 33346
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2014 10:25AM
User who most recently changed record brajo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N21ZA
NTSB Number CEN12LA676
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 FLIGHT DESIGN
Aircraft Model CTLS
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number F-10-09-04
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 --
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 RAS Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Elyria
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44035
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Zone Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Elyria
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 44035
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
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 LPR
Departure City Elyria
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LPR
Destination City Elyria
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2014 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record brajo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 07
Runway Length 5002
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --