S.O.C.A.T.A. RALLYE 235 accident near Ontario, Oregon, May 23, 2009
On May 23, 2009 at about 4:55 pm local time, a S.O.C.A.T.A. RALLYE 235, registered N315RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ontario, Oregon (Ontario Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged landing flare. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of any experience in the make and model airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2009 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Ontario, Oregon · Ontario Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- S.O.C.A.T.A. RALLYE 235 · all RALLYE 235s on the register
- Registration
- N315RA · no longer on the register · serial 13015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was conducting a series of touch-and-go landings, allowed the airplane to balloon during the landing flare. The airplane then dropped in from about five feet above the runway, resulting in a hard landing on all three landing gear. The pilot then added power, took off, and continued in the traffic pattern for another landing. During the subsequent landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot, who had accumulated about 1,500 hours total flying time, had not flown this make and model airplane prior to this flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 2009; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,645 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ONO Ontario OR at 4:00 pm
- Destination: ONO Ontario OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,210 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Observation at 4:53 pm from ONO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.