Amateur-built BERKUT accident near Jackson, Wyoming, June 19, 1996
On June 19, 1996 at about 1:15 am local time, a amateur-built BERKUT, registered N538AJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Wyoming (Jackson Hole 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
failure of the electrically driven hydraulic pump; and the absence of the main landing gear over-center downlock springs, which were not installed by the previous owner/builder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 1996 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Jackson, Wyoming · Jackson Hole · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BERKUT
- Registration
- N538AJ · no longer on the register · serial 011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the pilot approached his destination, the landing gear 'transition' light illuminated indicating operation of the hydraulic pump, although the landing gear was still retracted. When the pilot lowered the landing gear, they failed to extend. He then manually lowered the gear, but was unable to obtain green 'down and locked' indicator lights for the main gear. During the landing, the main gear collapsed, and the aircraft impacted several runway lights. Postcrash examination revealed that the electrically driven hydraulic pump had burned out. Additionally, the over-center downlock springs, which were to assist in manually locking the gear into a down-and-locked condition during manual extension, had never been installed by the builder/previous owner.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 46 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUX Sioux City IA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: JAC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,299 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from JAC
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.