On 1 Aug 2008, a Prendergast RV-7A operated by John Prendergast was involved in an aviation accident near Manchester, MI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate flare during landing. Contributing to the accident was the uneven terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
During landing, the pilot allowed the nose to drop and applied brakes, causing the landing gear leg to dig into the grass strip and bend. The propeller and wing then struck the ground.
Accident Details
A pilot experienced an incident while landing on a grass strip. The aircraft's landing gear leg bent after the pilot let the nose come down and used brakes, causing the low-clearance gear leg to dig into the surface. Subsequently, the propeller and one wing made contact with the undulating terrain.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions occurred with the aircraft during the flight. The incident was attributed to the landing technique and the gear leg's design clearance.
Recommendations
The pilot recommended replacing the accident gear leg with a newer revision from Van's Aircraft, which offers greater ground clearance.