19850508015999A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Latrobe, PA · May 8, 1985

Date: May 8, 1985 · 18:25 local
Place: Latrobe, PA
Airport: Westmoreland County
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4034N
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC85LA119
Reported as: Cessna 140
Reported engine: Continental C8512
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N4034NRegistration cancelled Sep 22, 1988 · Cessna 140S/N 13492 Airframe modelCessna 140

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Lost control (.4)the plt reported that during a landing, the acft began to swerve to the right. At about the time he was regaining control, the left gear spring (strut), pn Q441138, failed. Subsequently, the acft went off the rwy & the left wing was damaged. An exam of the strut revealed that it had failed where a bolt hole had been drilled to install a step. There was evidence of a pre-existing crack that extended about 1 inch on each side of the hole.

As the FAA filed it

LOST CONTROL (.4)THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING A LANDING, THE ACFT BEGAN TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. AT ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS REGAINING CONTROL, THE LEFT GEAR SPRING (STRUT), PN Q441138, FAILED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY & THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE STRUT REVEALED THAT IT HAD FAILED WHERE A BOLT HOLE HAD BEEN DRILLED TO INSTALL A STEP. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING CRACK THAT EXTENDED ABOUT 1 INCH ON EACH SIDE OF THE HOLE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC85LA119Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLatrobe, PAThe plt reported that during a landing, the acft began to swerve to the right. At about the time he was regaining control, the left gear spring (strut), pn Q441138, failed. Subsequently, the acft went off the rwy & the left wing was damaged. An exam of the…May 8, 1985 · Substantial damage