Amateur-built HOWELL SPECIAL accident near Minden, Nevada, May 27, 2016
On May 27, 2016 at about 5:50 pm local time, a 2009 amateur-built HOWELL SPECIAL, registered N4393H, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Minden, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe 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 failure of the right main landing gear assembly due to overstress fracture.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2016 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HOWELL SPECIAL NO SERIES, built 2009
- Registration
- N4393H · registry record · serial 058-111/112-898
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that the landing was "normal" but that, during the landing roll, he noticed that the experimental, amateur-built airplane started veering to the left. Shortly thereafter, the right wing suddenly dropped and impacted the runway. He was unable to maintain directional control of the airplane, and it veered off the runway because the right main landing gear (MLG) had collapsed. Postaccident examination of the right MLG assembly revealed that the right main tire and wheel had separated from the airplane and that a strut had separated about midpoint. Examination of the fracture features of the right MLG assembly revealed that they exhibited matte-gray features on slant angles, consistent with a ductile overstress fracture. No evidence of preexisting cracks or significant corrosion was observed. The right MLG assembly likely failed due to a hard landing and/or side loading on the MLG.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,231 hours in all; 348 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,231 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 4, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 17, 2015; 297 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 348 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O57 Bridgeport CA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: MEV Minden NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KCXP, 11 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N4393H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.