What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The event occurred around 1230L on may 3, 2016. The PIC had recently purchased the aircraft and flown it back from new jersey. The previous pilot had owned the aircraft for many years and the aircraft was kept in the family after the pilot passed away. According to the accident PIC, the previous owners kept the aircraft in annual inspection compliance the entire time they owned the aircraft.
The PIC departed from soldotna around 1030L. The weather was VFR and light winds at Naknek. The runway at Naknek was dry and smooth. PIC entered a normal pattern, crossing the threshold with full flaps at 65 knots. PIC touched down via wheel landing with no bounce. As the tailwheel descended, the aircraft started a slight deviation to the right. The PIC attempted a correction with opposite (left) rudder and when the aircraft didn?t respond they added left brake. At that time the right wheel departed the aircraft. The gear leg dug into the runway spinning the aircraft to the right and to an abrupt stop. The propeller struck the runway and substantial damage occurred to the left wing, propeller, and empennage. The PIC was the only occupant in the aircraft and was not injured.
The PIC conducted approximately 6 touch and goes at gravel strips in kenai and soldoltna prior to the accident. The PIC has no knowledge of the aircraft having a history of off airport landings.
Investigation of maintenance logs did not reveal any contributing factors. Without an ndi, evidence from the picture of the axle indicates failure due to corrosion and fatigue.
As the FAA filed it
THE EVENT OCCURRED AROUND 1230L ON MAY 3, 2016. THE PIC HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT AND FLOWN IT BACK FROM NEW JERSEY. THE PREVIOUS PILOT HAD OWNED THE AIRCRAFT FOR MANY YEARS AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS KEPT IN THE FAMILY AFTER THE PILOT PASSED AWAY. ACCORDING TO THE ACCIDENT PIC, THE PREVIOUS OWNERS KEPT THE AIRCRAFT IN ANNUAL INSPECTION COMPLIANCE THE ENTIRE TIME THEY OWNED THE AIRCRAFT.
THE PIC DEPARTED FROM SOLDOTNA AROUND 1030L. THE WEATHER WAS VFR AND LIGHT WINDS AT NAKNEK. THE RUNWAY AT NAKNEK WAS DRY AND SMOOTH. PIC ENTERED A NORMAL PATTERN, CROSSING THE THRESHOLD WITH FULL FLAPS AT 65 KNOTS. PIC TOUCHED DOWN VIA WHEEL LANDING WITH NO BOUNCE. AS THE TAILWHEEL DESCENDED, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A SLIGHT DEVIATION TO THE RIGHT. THE PIC ATTEMPTED A CORRECTION WITH OPPOSITE (LEFT) RUDDER AND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DIDN?T RESPOND THEY ADDED LEFT BRAKE. AT THAT TIME THE RIGHT WHEEL DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE GEAR LEG DUG INTO THE RUNWAY SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT AND TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE LEFT WING, PROPELLER, AND EMPENNAGE. THE PIC WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS NOT INJURED.
THE PIC CONDUCTED APPROXIMATELY 6 TOUCH AND GOES AT GRAVEL STRIPS IN KENAI AND SOLDOLTNA PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PIC HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE AIRCRAFT HAVING A HISTORY OF OFF AIRPORT LANDINGS.
INVESTIGATION OF MAINTENANCE LOGS DID NOT REVEAL ANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. WITHOUT AN NDI, EVIDENCE FROM THE PICTURE OF THE AXLE INDICATES FAILURE DUE TO CORROSION AND FATIGUE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.