Brown AIR SHARK III N42AE

Summary

On 6 October 1997 at about 19:20 local time, a Brown AIR SHARK III registered N42AE, operated by Robert L. Graham, was involved in an accident near Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 October 1997 at 19:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Austin Straubel Intl (GRB)

Coordinates

44.5892, -88.1190

Aircraft

Brown AIR SHARK III

Registration

N42AE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert L. Graham

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA009

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing, subsequent failure of the left main landing gear, and his inability to maintain directional control. Factors related to the accident were: the runway light, and soft terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

In a telephone conversation, the pilot said that he had made about 13 landings with his homebuilt airplane prior to the accident flight. He said that during these landings, he kept the engine producing power throughout the flare/touchdown sequence. During the landing on the accident flight, he decided to 'slow it down' and 'chop the power at around ten feet.' After the reduction of power, the airplane pitched up and collided with the runway in a nose high attitude. In his written statement, the pilot said that he 'reduced the power too much, and [the] plane hit too hard.' The left main gear diagonal support structure dislodged, partially collapsing the left main gear. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with a runway light, damaging the left wing. The airplane then turned sideways, causing the main gear to sink into a soft spot in the grass and separate from the airframe.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.