Skip to content

ERA20LA337

2020-09-25 · Chester, Connecticut, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SNC

Current FAA registration · N35FW

Make / Model
LANCAIR LANCAIR 235
Engine
LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES (115 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19950810
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A3E306

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's unstable approach, which resulted in a hard landing, and the separation of the left main landing gear.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was on short final approach when he “sensed a severe rate of descent.” He attempted to flare; however, the airplane landed hard on the displaced runway threshold. The pilot further reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Airport video revealed that as the airplane touched, the left main gear fractured, and the airplane bounced, touched down again, traveled down an embankment, and impacted an airport hangar. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_ERA20LA337.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type. All research papers