Donald Bernard Higgs PIETENPOL N7169K

Summary

On 7 July 2019 at about 00:00 local time, a Donald Bernard Higgs PIETENPOL registered N7169K was involved in an accident near Anacortes, Washington, 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

7 July 2019 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Anacortes, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Anacortes (74S)

Coordinates

48.4986, -122.6625

Aircraft

Donald Bernard Higgs PIETENPOL

Registration

N7169K

Category

Airplane

Year built

1991

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anacortes → Anacortes

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA396

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the left main landing gear attachment point during the landing roll for reasons that could not be determined because the attachment was not examined, which resulted in a loss of directional control, collision with a drainage culvert, and a subsequent nose-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that this was the first test flight after the experimental, amateur-built airplane had been reassembled following purchase and transport. The pilot performed two high-speed taxi runs, he back taxied, and then he took off. During the landing roll, "the left front landing gear attachment lugs broke off the mount fitting." The pilot lost directional control of the airplane, and it ground looped to the right. The airplane entered a ditch and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing aft lift strut. The left main landing gear attachment was not examined; therefore, the reason for its failure could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.