Amateur-built SPACE WALKER N43904 accident near Cahokia, Illinois

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the attempted landing and the flight instructor's delayed attempt to execute a go-around, which resulted in a hard landing, failure of the left main landing gear, and subsequent loss of directional control. Contributing to the accident was an improperly welded landing gear tube.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot and flight instructor were conducting a familiarization flight in the tailwheel-equipped, amateur-built airplane. After completing area maneuvers, the pilot executed two touch-and-go landings. The flight instructor reported that, during the third landing attempt, he noticed that the airplane had developed a high sink rate, so he subsequently took control of the airplane and initiated a go-around as the airplane touched down hard, which damaged the left main landing gear (MLG) and tailwheel attachment spring. The flight instructor was unable to maintain directional control, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway, which further damaged the left MLG.

Examination of the left MLG revealed that it failed at the point of a previous weld repair, which was on the lower tube of a multitube group weld and was only partially welded. The improperly welded tube resulted in less-than-intended design strength and contributed to the failure of the left MLG.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN15LA411 for the full record.