FTW98LA207

Factual narrative

On May 1, 1998, approximately 1730 central daylight time, a Schrack Starduster Too amateur-built experimental airplane, N5462, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing at the Hilltop Lakes Airport in Hilltop Lakes, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private pilot, the sole occupant, who was not injured. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal local flight. The pilot reported that during a wheel landing, the tailwheel-equipped biplane "bounced at touchdown and a transition to a 3 point landing was made." He further reported that "the resulting touchdown was hard, at which point the right gear apparently failed." The airplane then exited the left side of the runway, the right main landing gear "dug into the sandy soil," and the airplane nosed down. According to the pilot, the accident could have been prevented by "less sink rate at touchdown." According to the FAA inspector who examined the airplane, the wood spars of the right lower wing and left upper wing were broken. During landing, the tailwheel-equipped biplane bounced and then touched down hard at which point the right main landing gear failed. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and nosed down. The pilot commented that the accident could have been prevented by less sink rate at touchdown. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12