Aeropilot S R O LEGEND 600 N600LD

Summary

On 8 April 2023 at about 15:00 local time, a Aeropilot S R O LEGEND 600 registered N600LD was involved in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one 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

8 April 2023 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Vero Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

New Hibiscus Airpark (X52)

Coordinates

27.6323, -80.5276

Aircraft

Aeropilot S R O LEGEND 600

Registration

N600LD

Category

Airplane

Year built

2016

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vero Beach → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA211

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a nose landing gear collapse and subsequent noseover. Contributing was the rough condition of the runway, as described by the pilot, and his decision to operate from it.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot departed from the turf runway at his home airport, which he described as “extremely rough,” for a solo flight in the airport traffic pattern. The pilot stated that the first 300 feet of the runway past the displaced threshold was “a very soft area” and a cone had been placed there, so he landed the airplane about 700 feet from the displaced threshold. The airplane bounced back into the air to a height of about 7 to 8 feet and the pilot added power and increased back pressure on the control wheel to hold the nose wheel off the runway. The airplane then touched down again on the main landing gear and the nose wheel again touched down on the runway. The nose wheel then contacted 3 to 5 “bumps” before settling into the turf, the lower portion of the nose landing gear separated, and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The student pilot received minor injuries and the airplane’s fuselage and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the student pilot’s logbook revealed that his presolo aeronautical knowledge endorsement indicated that he was aware of the flight characteristics and operational limitations of the airplane, as well as the airspace rules and procedures for the airport, which he had flown the airplane in and out of and landed at on at least 18 separate occasions. He therefore should also have been aware of the runway conditions. Given this information, it is likely that the student pilot’s landing technique was not appropriate for the condition of the turf runway, and that the techniques he used to recover from the bounced landing resulted in subsequent nose landing gear collapse and noseover.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.