What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 7, 2026, during the takeoff acceleration at Ogden-Hinckley Airport (ogd), the pilot in command (PIC) experienced abnormal flutter and binding in the left main gear assembly. Based on the aircraft's weight, airspeed, and remaining runway distance, the PIC determined that continuing the takeoff presented less operational risk than attempting a high-speed rejected takeoff (rto).
Following departure, the PIC reported no control surface anomalies, flight control restriction, or degradation in maneuverability. Shortly after takeoff, the PIC notified maintenance personnel regarding the left gear binding.
Upon completion of the flight objective, the PIC returned to ogd with the intention to land on runway 21. During the landing rollout, as airspeed decayed and rudder authority decreased, the aircraft began veering to the right. The PIC was unable to maintain directional control against the drag on the left wheel, causing the aircraft to depart the eastern edge of the runway surface, resulting in the separation of the left main landing gear assembly.
A post-accident physical inspection revealed that the left wheel assembly's outer wheel bearing, retaining axle nut, and retaining nut cotter pin were missing. On-site physical evidence indicated these components were absent prior to touchdown, causing the initial wheel binding and subsequent wheel displacement during rollout.
Maintenance records indicated that the last documented inspection was an annual inspection performed in February 2026. Interviews with the chief pilot and maintenance staff confirmed no further maintenance or gear inspections had occurred since that date.
NTSB finding: the national transportation safety board’s initial determination of cause is that inflight separation and departure of the wheel bearing, retaining nut, and cotter pin for reasons undetermined.
A service difficulty report (SDR ref: 2026FA0000599) has been filed. This internal investigation is closed with no further action required at this time, pending any additional findings released in the final NTSB docket.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 7, 2026, DURING THE TAKEOFF ACCELERATION AT OGDEN-HINCKLEY AIRPORT (OGD), THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL FLUTTER AND BINDING IN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY. BASED ON THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT, AIRSPEED, AND REMAINING RUNWAY DISTANCE, THE PIC DETERMINED THAT CONTINUING THE TAKEOFF PRESENTED LESS OPERATIONAL RISK THAN ATTEMPTING A HIGH-SPEED REJECTED TAKEOFF (RTO).
FOLLOWING DEPARTURE, THE PIC REPORTED NO CONTROL SURFACE ANOMALIES, FLIGHT CONTROL RESTRICTION, OR DEGRADATION IN MANEUVERABILITY. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PIC NOTIFIED MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REGARDING THE LEFT GEAR BINDING.
UPON COMPLETION OF THE FLIGHT OBJECTIVE, THE PIC RETURNED TO OGD WITH THE INTENTION TO LAND ON RUNWAY 21. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, AS AIRSPEED DECAYED AND RUDDER AUTHORITY DECREASED, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN VEERING TO THE RIGHT. THE PIC WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AGAINST THE DRAG ON THE LEFT WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DEPART THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE RUNWAY SURFACE, RESULTING IN THE SEPARATION OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY.
A POST-ACCIDENT PHYSICAL INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WHEEL ASSEMBLY'S OUTER WHEEL BEARING, RETAINING AXLE NUT, AND RETAINING NUT COTTER PIN WERE MISSING. ON-SITE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE INDICATED THESE COMPONENTS WERE ABSENT PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, CAUSING THE INITIAL WHEEL BINDING AND SUBSEQUENT WHEEL DISPLACEMENT DURING ROLLOUT.
MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE LAST DOCUMENTED INSPECTION WAS AN ANNUAL INSPECTION PERFORMED IN FEBRUARY 2026. INTERVIEWS WITH THE CHIEF PILOT AND MAINTENANCE STAFF CONFIRMED NO FURTHER MAINTENANCE OR GEAR INSPECTIONS HAD OCCURRED SINCE THAT DATE.
NTSB FINDING: THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD’S INITIAL DETERMINATION OF CAUSE IS THAT INFLIGHT SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE OF THE WHEEL BEARING, RETAINING NUT, AND COTTER PIN FOR REASONS UNDETERMINED.
A SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORT (SDR REF: 2026FA0000599) HAS BEEN FILED. THIS INTERNAL INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED WITH NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED AT THIS TIME, PENDING ANY ADDITIONAL FINDINGS RELEASED IN THE FINAL NTSB DOCKET.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.