Perkins DRAGONFLY N192AP

Summary

On 2 July 1988 at about 12:30 local time, a Perkins DRAGONFLY registered N192AP was involved in an accident near Fowlerville, Michigan, 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

2 July 1988 at 12:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fowlerville, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Maple Grove (65G)

Coordinates

42.6610, -84.0691

Aircraft

Perkins DRAGONFLY

Registration

N192AP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI88DEC04

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE CONTROL OF HIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT BY TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTIONS FOR RECOVERY FROM THE BOUNCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND ABRUPTLY ON THE THIRD BOUNCE AND THE UPPER WING SPAR FAILED. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN UNDERDESIGNED.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE HAD 3 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A POWER-OFF LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE 'THE (RIGHT WING) SPAR POPPED.' THE PILOT STATED THAT 'THIS IS A LEARNING CURVE ACCIDENT' AND INDICATED THAT MORE TIME PRACTICING SLOW FLIGHT AND LANDINGS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING DUE TO A HARD LANDING DURING IT'S MAIDEN FLIGHT IN APRIL, 1986. THE FLIGHT DURING WHICH THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED WAS THE AIRCRAFT'S FIRST FLIGHT SINCE THAT ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.