Amateur-built AIR CAM N6272Z accident near Sebring, Florida

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of control during landing.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot entered the base leg of the airport traffic pattern for landing, then he turned left onto the final leg of the airport traffic pattern, with no reported discrepancies of the aileron flight control system at this time. He “overshot” the extended runway centerline and reported the airplane was low. Airport surveillance video depicted the outer portion of the right wing impacting the ground. The pilot further indicated, “…he was not ready…” for the first touchdown and bounced a couple feet adding that the airplane touched down, “hard”, resulting in the right main landing gear wheel separating. He knew the airplane was right of the runway centerline, so he added full throttle to go-around reporting both engines responded. During the go-around he could not raise the right wing despite left aileron and rudder input. Surveillance video captured the airplane completing nearly a right 720º turn while climbing and then descending. The airplane impacted the runway while in a nose and right wing-low attitude and rolled inverted resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, cockpit, and nose section of the airplane.

Postaccident examination of the flight control system for pitch and yaw by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration revealed control continuity with no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the roll flight control system revealed a rod end for an aileron pushrod inside the right wing exhibited bending overload with no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction; no other separations were noted. Since there were no reported issues while banking left prior to the first touchdown, it is likely that the aileron flight control system was damaged as a result of the right wing contact during the first touchdown, which resulted in an uncommanded right roll that the pilot could not correct.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA22LA299 for the full record.