NTSB Factual Report

On May 5, 2006, at approximately 1100 Pacific daylight time, a Rupp, Rutan Defiant, N726RD, was substantially damaged during a landing attempt at Coeur d'Alene Air Terminal, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant in the aircraft, was not injured. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal, local flight which had originated approximately 15 minutes before the accident. A flight plan had not been filed.

The pilot said that he had recently purchased the airplane and had very little flight time in it. He said that he was airborne to practice landings. On the first landing, the airplane landed on its rudder, which is mounted beneath the nose adjacent to the nose wheel landing gear. He said that he thought he put the nose wheel landing gear down [in this airplane, only the nose wheel landing gear retracts]. The airplane's maintenance records indicated that the airplane has landed on its rudder on two previous occasions during the airplane's 18 years of existence. The pilot said that he is in the process of having the landing-gear mechanism inspected.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to put the nose wheel landing gear down for landing.