Plane Crash List

Plocher SHA-GLASAIR N315LP

9 February 2008 · Telluride, Colorado, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 9 February 2008 at about 17:15 local time, a Plocher SHA-GLASAIR registered N315LP was involved in an accident near Telluride, Colorado, 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.

The record

Date
at 17:15
Classification
Accident
Location
Telluride, Colorado, United States
Nearest airport
Telluride (TEX)
Coordinates
37.9503, -107.9008
Aircraft
Plocher SHA-GLASAIR
Registration
N315LP
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Boise → Telluride
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN08LA065

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in the design stress limits of the nose gear being exceeded. Contributing factors in this accident was the excessive airspeed, the pilot-induced porpoise of the airplane, and the tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Unicom advised the pilot that the winds were from 260 degrees at 6 knots. He decided to land on runway 09 as per the airport's request to avoid flying over populated areas. He postponed dropping his flaps until he "had the runway made." This resulted in a 90 knot airspeed, "which is a little high," and he crossed the runway threshold at 50 feet agl (above ground level). Full flaps were deployed and he reduced airspeed as he approached the runway. He noticed his groundspeed "was quite a bit higher than what [he] was accustomed to." The first touchdown was 800 feet past the runway threshold and as he pulled back to flare, the airplane ballooned up 20 feet. The pilot flared again but the airplane dropped and bounced on the main gear, then the nose gear, which then collapsed. The propeller struck the runway and the airplane skidded to a halt.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

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