Lancair LC42-550FG N6512Y

Summary

On 16 September 2012 at about 15:14 local time, a Lancair LC42-550FG registered N6512Y, operated by Global Governments Inc, was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 September 2012 at 15:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Okeechobee, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Okeechobee County (OBE)

Coordinates

27.2594, -80.8503

Aircraft

Lancair LC42-550FG

Registration

N6512Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Global Governments Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

West Palm Beach → Okeechobee

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12CA564

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/owner stated that he was conducting an experiment to see where on the runway the airplane would touch down using RNAV/GPS guidance. He said he became preoccupied with the instrumentation in the airplane, landed hard, and did not realize that he had done "serious damage" to the airplane. Examination of a video recording submitted by a witness revealed two high-speed, shallow approaches to the runway. On the first approach, the airplane traveled well past the normal touchdown zone at a high rate, touched down briefly, and then climbed back into the traffic pattern. On its second approach, the airplane crossed the runway threshold at a high rate of speed, a low altitude, and at a shallow approach angle. The airplane then struck the ground in a flat attitude, the nose landing gear separated from the airframe, and the propeller struck the runway. The airplane then pitched up, the engine noise increased, the tail struck the runway, and the airplane climbed at a shallow angle. The airplane subsequently collided with containers and vehicles in a commercial lot about one-half mile from the departure end of the runway. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.