What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The student pilot reported that he was completing his third supervised solo flight that consisted of several landings. On the last landing, the airplane touched down about 1000 feet from the approach end of the runway. The student pilot reported that after he made a three point touch down, the airplane bounced, and weather vaned into the crosswind. As the airplane touched down again the right main landing gear collapsed. According to an eyewitness, the airplane was still in the proper crab position when the right main gear failed. The eyewitness also stated that after the right main landing gear collapsed, the right wing hit the runway and 'ground looped the aircraft'. At the time of the accident, no mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the student pilot. Examination of the right landing gear box assembly failed to disclose structural deformation other than overload. (-23) a student pilot on his third supervised solo flight landed the CESSNA170A at Pell City, Alabama on runway 20. During the three point crosswind landing the aircraft bounced slightly and skipped on the right wheel. The RI ght main landing gear folded under and the fuselage, and dug into the pavement. The aircraft turned 90 degrees to the left and came to rest facing an easterly direction with half of the aircraft on the runway. A meeting with the flight instructor and student pilot took place. Review and recommendations in the student training were discussed. A malfunction or defect report was date 08/07/98 was submitted to the FAA. The right bracket with the gear box assembly was corroded and small stress cracks were evident. The aircraft at one time was on skis which might have caused the stress. A 500 hour inspection to include gear removal or a manufacturers service bulletin was recommended in the m and d report.
As the FAA filed it
THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS COMPLETING HIS THIRD SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT THAT CONSISTED OF SEVERAL LANDINGS. ON THE LAST LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER HE MADE A THREE POINT TOUCH DOWN, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, AND WEATHER VANED INTO THE CROSSWIND. AS THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. ACCORDING TO AN EYEWITNESS, THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL IN THE PROPER CRAB POSITION WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR FAILED. THE EYEWITNESS ALSO STATED THAT AFTER THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THE RIGHT WING HIT THE RUNWAY AND 'GROUND LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT'. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE WERE REPORTED BY THE STUDENT PILOT. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY FAILED TO DISCLOSE STRUCTURAL DEFORMATION OTHER THAN OVERLOAD. (-23) A STUDENT PILOT ON HIS THIRD SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT LANDED THE CESSNA170A AT PELL CITY, ALABAMA ON RUNWAY 20. DURING THE THREE POINT CROSSWIND LANDING THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED SLIGHTLY AND SKIPPED ON THE RIGHT WHEEL. THE RI GHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FOLDED UNDER AND THE FUSELAGE, AND DUG INTO THE PAVEMENT. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT AND CAME TO REST FACING AN EASTERLY DIRECTION WITH HALF OF THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. A MEETING WITH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT TOOK PLACE. REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE STUDENT TRAINING WERE DISCUSSED. A MALFUNCTION OR DEFECT REPORT WAS DATE 08/07/98 WAS SUBMITTED TO THE FAA. THE RIGHT BRACKET WITH THE GEAR BOX ASSEMBLY WAS CORRODED AND SMALL STRESS CRACKS WERE EVIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT AT ONE TIME WAS ON SKIS WHICH MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE STRESS. A 500 HOUR INSPECTION TO INCLUDE GEAR REMOVAL OR A MANUFACTURERS SERVICE BULLETIN WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE M AND D REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.