Brown AIR SHARK III accident near Green Bay, Wisconsin, October 6, 1997
On October 6, 1997 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Brown AIR SHARK III, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N42AE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Green Bay, Wisconsin (Austin Straubel Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing, subsequent failure of the left main landing gear, and his inability to maintain directional control. Factors related to the accident were: the runway light, and soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 1997 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Green Bay, Wisconsin · Austin Straubel Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brown AIR SHARK III AIR SHARK, amateur-built
- Registration
- N42AE · no longer on the register · serial CB-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
In a telephone conversation, the pilot said that he had made about 13 landings with his homebuilt airplane prior to the accident flight. He said that during these landings, he kept the engine producing power throughout the flare/touchdown sequence. During the landing on the accident flight, he decided to 'slow it down' and 'chop the power at around ten feet.' After the reduction of power, the airplane pitched up and collided with the runway in a nose high attitude. In his written statement, the pilot said that he 'reduced the power too much, and [the] plane hit too hard.' The left main gear diagonal support structure dislodged, partially collapsing the left main gear. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with a runway light, damaging the left wing. The airplane then turned sideways, causing the main gear to sink into a soft spot in the grass and separate from the airframe.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 124 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 9, 1997; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GRB at 7:18 pm
- Destination: GRB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 8,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:20 pm from GRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.