20030925026909A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 170A · Skwentna, AK · September 25, 2003

Date: September 25, 2003 · 14:00 local
Place: Skwentna, AK
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9006A
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC03LA126
Reported as: Cessna 170A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,900 total125 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N9006ARegistration cancelled May 17, 2013 · Cessna 170AS/N 18761 · Built 1949 Airframe modelCessna 170A Engine modelContinental C145 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Mr. Lewis was landing west on a remote "bush" gravel runway. He described the runway to be approximately 50 x 1000 feet, gravel, level in all directions and smooth. He further stated that the runway was maintained and regularly used by property owner in the area. During what he described as a normal, main gear landing and roll out, the right main landing gear collapsed. As the airplane slid on the gravel, the right gear strut including the right gear box was torn out of the fuselage. The airplane subsequently sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, cowling, engine, propeller, right horizontal and right wing while decelerating to a stop. Post accident, he discovered that the right main wheel, tire, brake assembly and attachment bolsts separated from the right main gear axle almost immediately after touch down and as a single unit. He stated that the failure of the right wheel assembly attachment bolts are in his opinion, the singular cause of this accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. LEWIS WAS LANDING WEST ON A REMOTE "BUSH" GRAVEL RUNWAY. HE DESCRIBED THE RUNWAY TO BE APPROXIMATELY 50 X 1000 FEET, GRAVEL, LEVEL IN ALL DIRECTIONS AND SMOOTH. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS MAINTAINED AND REGULARLY USED BY PROPERTY OWNER IN THE AREA. DURING WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A NORMAL, MAIN GEAR LANDING AND ROLL OUT, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AS THE AIRPLANE SLID ON THE GRAVEL, THE RIGHT GEAR STRUT INCLUDING THE RIGHT GEAR BOX WAS TORN OUT OF THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, COWLING, ENGINE, PROPELLER, RIGHT HORIZONTAL AND RIGHT WING WHILE DECELERATING TO A STOP. POST ACCIDENT, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL, TIRE, BRAKE ASSEMBLY AND ATTACHMENT BOLSTS SEPARATED FROM THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AXLE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER TOUCH DOWN AND AS A SINGLE UNIT. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT BOLTS ARE IN HIS OPINION, THE SINGULAR CAUSE OF THIS 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.

NTSB ANC03LA126Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSkwentna, AKAn overload failure of the axle retaining nut/bolt assembly, which resulted in the separation of the axle/wheel assembly, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear strut during the landing roll.Sep 25, 2003 · Substantial damage