What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Memphis, TN (mem): privacy data omitted, C195, experienced a gear collapse after landing runway 18L and became disabled on the runway. No injuries and no post-crash fire. This aircraft was manufactured in 1954.
On site inspection reviled the following: aircraft LH main spring strut sheared at the fuselage attach point. The left wing outer 4 feet are bent upwards causing spar and aileron damage. The propeller shows evidence of a sudden stoppage; one blade is significantly bent forward and the other with no damage. Fuselage shows buckling on the left side aft of the landing gear attach point making it difficult to close the doors.
This operator purchased the aircraft in July of 2024. The aircraft records possessed by the current owner primarily cover the period of his ownership. While we reviewed his entire logbook and found properly documented annual inspections, there was no information regarding the strut's replacement.
FAA aircraft records for nprivacy data omitted show two 337’S for spring strut inspection, repair and returned to service by north sound aviation in Washington. The serial number of the failed strut is 6L85, returned to service in 2017. Visual inspection of the spring strut shows that the crack had been there for a long time, evidenced by iron oxide across the separated mating surfaces. Two small areas of shear lips show the final point of separation.
The way the spring strut is installed there is no way to see the condition at the stress point without removing it from the aircraft mount and inspecting it.
To follow up, Cessna was contacted for maintenance requirements. They advised that there are no current inspection requirements beyond 14CFR part 43 appendix d. (annual and 100 hr inspections)
As the FAA filed it
MEMPHIS, TN (MEM): ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, C195, EXPERIENCED A GEAR COLLAPSE AFTER LANDING RUNWAY 18L AND BECAME DISABLED ON THE RUNWAY. NO INJURIES AND NO POST-CRASH FIRE. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1954.
ON SITE INSPECTION REVILED THE FOLLOWING: AIRCRAFT LH MAIN SPRING STRUT SHEARED AT THE FUSELAGE ATTACH POINT. THE LEFT WING OUTER 4 FEET ARE BENT UPWARDS CAUSING SPAR AND AILERON DAMAGE. THE PROPELLER SHOWS EVIDENCE OF A SUDDEN STOPPAGE; ONE BLADE IS SIGNIFICANTLY BENT FORWARD AND THE OTHER WITH NO DAMAGE. FUSELAGE SHOWS BUCKLING ON THE LEFT SIDE AFT OF THE LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CLOSE THE DOORS.
THIS OPERATOR PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT IN JULY OF 2024. THE AIRCRAFT RECORDS POSSESSED BY THE CURRENT OWNER PRIMARILY COVER THE PERIOD OF HIS OWNERSHIP. WHILE WE REVIEWED HIS ENTIRE LOGBOOK AND FOUND PROPERLY DOCUMENTED ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, THERE WAS NO INFORMATION REGARDING THE STRUT'S REPLACEMENT.
FAA AIRCRAFT RECORDS FOR N^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SHOW TWO 337’S FOR SPRING STRUT INSPECTION, REPAIR AND RETURNED TO SERVICE BY NORTH SOUND AVIATION IN WASHINGTON. THE SERIAL NUMBER OF THE FAILED STRUT IS 6L85, RETURNED TO SERVICE IN 2017. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE SPRING STRUT SHOWS THAT THE CRACK HAD BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME, EVIDENCED BY IRON OXIDE ACROSS THE SEPARATED MATING SURFACES. TWO SMALL AREAS OF SHEAR LIPS SHOW THE FINAL POINT OF SEPARATION.
THE WAY THE SPRING STRUT IS INSTALLED THERE IS NO WAY TO SEE THE CONDITION AT THE STRESS POINT WITHOUT REMOVING IT FROM THE AIRCRAFT MOUNT AND INSPECTING IT.
TO FOLLOW UP, CESSNA WAS CONTACTED FOR MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. THEY ADVISED THAT THERE ARE NO CURRENT INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS BEYOND 14CFR PART 43 APPENDIX D. (ANNUAL AND 100 HR INSPECTIONS)
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.