What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On aug. 9, 1997 N5246E, CE-185 piloted by paule roderick, owner of talketna air taxi inc, experienced aleft gear leg failure while on roll-out after landing on a gravel area approximately 20 miles up the Chickaloon river. The FAR part 135 flight originated at the palmer airport. The aircraft had two passengers aboard, with 250# of baggage. The pilot stated that the landing was normal and the aircraft had slowed to thirty miles per hour when he heard a loud bank and the aircraft ground-looped. The pilot observed the left wheel and brake assembly had broken off at the top axel attach point. The aircraft sustained damage to the left wing, left gear box, prop and lower cowl. The cause of the gear leg failure has not been determined at this time. The lower piece of gear leg was recovered and has been sent to the NTSB lab for analysis. (.4) as the tundra tire equipped airplane slowed to 25 knots during the landing roll on a gravel strip, the left main landing gear leg separated at the wheel attachment bolt holes. The airplane ground looped, and both wingtips were damaged. Metallurgical examination revealed multiple fatigue cracks originating fromt he bolt holes. The airplane had been used extensively for off-airport landings. Both on wheels and skis. The failed gear leg had been inspected for cracks 806 flight hours and 16 months prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUG. 9, 1997 N5246E, CE-185 PILOTED BY PAULE RODERICK, OWNER OF TALKETNA AIR TAXI INC, EXPERIENCED ALEFT GEAR LEG FAILURE WHILE ON ROLL-OUT AFTER LANDING ON A GRAVEL AREA APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES UP THE CHICKALOON RIVER. THE FAR PART 135 FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE PALMER AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD, WITH 250# OF BAGGAGE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS NORMAL AND THE AIRCRAFT HAD SLOWED TO THIRTY MILES PER HOUR WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BANK AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND-LOOPED. THE PILOT OBSERVED THE LEFT WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN OFF AT THE TOP AXEL ATTACH POINT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, LEFT GEAR BOX, PROP AND LOWER COWL. THE CAUSE OF THE GEAR LEG FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THE LOWER PIECE OF GEAR LEG WAS RECOVERED AND HAS BEEN SENT TO THE NTSB LAB FOR ANALYSIS. (.4) AS THE TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED AIRPLANE SLOWED TO 25 KNOTS DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON A GRAVEL STRIP, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR LEG SEPARATED AT THE WHEEL ATTACHMENT BOLT HOLES. THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED, AND BOTH WINGTIPS WERE DAMAGED. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED MULTIPLE FATIGUE CRACKS ORIGINATING FROMT HE BOLT HOLES. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN USED EXTENSIVELY FOR OFF-AIRPORT LANDINGS. BOTH ON WHEELS AND SKIS. THE FAILED GEAR LEG HAD BEEN INSPECTED FOR CRACKS 806 FLIGHT HOURS AND 16 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5246E · 5
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.