# NTSB investigations: Aircraft structural failure

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

Page 4 of 4 · 181 cases

## Cases, newest first

- [NTSB ENG09IA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG09IA014.md): Boeing 737 · Los Angeles, CA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Sep 8, 2009 · N670SW · Minor damage
  > The failure of the right main landing gear inboard axle due to fatigue cracking as a result of fretting damage in one of the brake mounting bolt holes.
- [NTSB CEN09LA565](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA565.md): Bell UH-1B · Arvilla, ND · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 6, 2009 · N204JB · Substantial damage
  > The aircraft owner/mechanic/pilot's installation of an improper tail boom assembly and the resulting fatigue failure of the tail boom's attach fittings.
- [NTSB ERA09LA492](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA492.md): Bond Neal O S-9 · Saylorsburg, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 30, 2009 · N463NB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s excessive flight control inputs that resulted in an overload failure of the right elevator and horizontal stabilizer.
- [NTSB CEN09CA552](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA552.md): Cessna 150F · Abilene, KS · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 29, 2009 · N8312G · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate crosswind landing technique, resulting in an excessive side load on the left landing gear that led to an overload failure of its axle.
- [NTSB ANC09LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09LA083.md): Cessna 185 · McCarthy, AK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 16, 2009 · N8209U · Substantial damage
  > The separation of the right main landing gear wheel from the airplane during landing for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an inability to control the airplane.
- [NTSB WPR09FA391](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA391.md): Navion Navion A · Adrian, OR · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 7, 2009 · N4898K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control while in cruise flight due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an exceedence of the design stress limits of the aircraft and led to an in-flight structural failure.
- [NTSB CEN09CA521](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA521.md): Maule M-4-220C · Abernathy, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 25, 2009 · N11EN · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the fuselage's tube structure due to corrosion during a hard landing.
- [NTSB ENG09IA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG09IA009.md): Boeing 737-3B7 · Charlotte (CLT), NC · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jul 15, 2009 · N506AU · Minor damage
  > The failure of the left hand main landing gear was caused by heat induced cracks resulting from abusive grinding/polishing of the chrome plate that was applied during the last overhaul.
- [NTSB DCA09FA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA09FA065.md): Boeing 737 · Charleston, WV · Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 13, 2009 · N387SW · Substantial damage
  > Fuselage skin failure due to preexisting fatigue at a chemically milled step.
- [NTSB WPR09LA318](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA318.md): Alexander Schleicher ASW 27-18E · Ephrata, WA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 29, 2009 · N129TD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the glider during flight and his exceedance of the glider’s design limits during an attempted recovery from a spin.
- [NTSB CEN09LA379](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA379.md): Urban Air Sro UFM-13 · Bourne Stage, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 23, 2009 · N17UA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the aircraft’s placarded never-exceed speed (Vne), resulting in aerodynamic flutter in the empennage and the subsequent in-flight structural failure of the aft portion of the fuselage.
- [NTSB WPR09FA234](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA234.md): Upton Bakeng Duce · Ramona, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · May 9, 2009 · N86YP · Substantial damage
  > An in-flight separation of the right wing, which resulted from the pilot's performance of a maneuver that produced aerodynamic loads that exceeded the wing spar’s degraded strength. The wing spar strength degradation was due to the builder's failure to comply…
- [NTSB ERA09FA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA273.md): Explorer Aeronautique Ecoflyer · Lebanon, NY · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 27, 2009 · C-IOFL · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight separation of the left wing due to failure of one of the inboard attachments to the fuselage.
- [NTSB CEN09CA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA268.md): Luscombe 8 · Terrell, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 22, 2009 · N2330K · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the landing gear due to undetected corrosion.
- [NTSB WPR09FA141](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA141.md): Stephenson Zodiac 601 XL · Antelope Island, UT · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 3, 2009 · N3683X · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight failure of both wings due to aileron flutter. The aileron flutter was the result of inadequate wing stiffness and the lack of aileron counterbalances.
- [NTSB ERA09MA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09MA157.md): Cessna 206H · Quebradillas, PR · Accident · 6 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Feb 8, 2009 · N118ME · Destroyed
  > The pilot exceeded the design limits of the airplane, which resulted in an in-flight break up while maneuvering in adverse weather conditions.
- [NTSB ERA09FA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA087.md): Ercoupe 415-D · Sebring, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 13, 2008 · N99154 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's exceedance of the design stress limitations of the airplane.
- [NTSB ERA09FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA029.md): Piper PA-24 · Red Hill, VA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 24, 2008 · N8820P · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to an improper repair to the stabilator, which resulted in an in-flight failure of the stabilator. Contributing to the accident was the descent in turbulence, at airspeeds above the maximum structural…
- [NTSB SEA08FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08FA196.md): Debus J / Mountain S / Bowes E DEBUS-CASST-SNOSHOO · Reno, NV · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 6, 2008 · N102MB · Substantial damage
  > The movement of the airplane’s modified horizontal stabilizer trim system during an intentional high speed aerobatic maneuver that resulted in exceedence of the design stress limits of the airplane and an in-flight structural failure. Contrubuting to the…
- [NTSB NYC08FA260](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08FA260.md): Piper PA-23 · Highlands, NC · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 29, 2008 · N1180P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to fly into an area of thunderstorms, which resulted in an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to comply with FAA directives regarding issuance of precipitation location and…
- [NTSB ENG08IA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG08IA051.md): Boeing 737 · Phoenix (PHX), AZ · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Jun 27, 2008 · N514AU · Minor damage
  > The failure of the MLG was due to cracking in the cylinder wall resulting from a fatigue mechanism which initiated at, and near the inner diameter (ID) surface, with propagation through the wall toward the outer diameter(OD) surface. Crack initiation was due…
- [NTSB CHI08LA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08LA158.md): Maggs Lancair 4P · Alhambra, IL · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 6, 2008 · N241DM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to continue the flight into an area of known thunderstorm activity and the in-flight structural failure of the airplane.
- [NTSB ENG08IA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG08IA025.md): Boeing MD-11 · Singapore, Singapore · Incident · Incident investigation · Final report · Apr 27, 2008 · N595FE · Minor damage
  > The Center Landing gear (CLG) strut failed due to intergranular (IG) cracking resulted from a contamination of the surface from the chemical used to clean that area prior to painting.
- [NTSB SEA08LA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA110.md): Cessna 180 · Blanding, UT · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 24, 2008 · N180XP · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue failure of the right main landing gear leg during the landing roll.
- [NTSB NYC08FA158](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08FA158.md): Chech Aircraft Works Spol Sro CH 601 XL RTF · Polk City, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 7, 2008 · N357DT · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight failure of the left wing for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB LAX08LA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA083.md): Gulfstream-Schweizer G-164B · Genesee, ID · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 22, 2008 · N8148K · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight failure of the rudder attachment point due to severe corrosion, which made directional control of the airplane not possible during landing.
- [NTSB DCA08IA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA08IA048.md): Boeing 757-200 · Richmond, VA · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Mar 22, 2008 · N921UW · Minor damage
  > The installed wing panel clips failed due to fatigue, likely caused by the incorrect installation of the fasteners in response to SB 757-57-0027. Contributing to the incorrect installation was the SB's lack of clarity in the instructions and figures on the…
- [NTSB DEN08LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA064.md): Spartan 7W · Santa Fe, NM · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 12, 2008 · N17662 · Substantial damage
  > Fatigue failure of the right main landing gear, rendering directional control impossible and causing an overload failure of the left main landing gear.
- [NTSB SEA08LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA090.md): Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 20-C1 · Spanish Fork, UT · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Mar 9, 2008 · N765DC · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue failure of the nose wheel fork assembly attachment stud/bolt during takeoff initial climb, and the collapse of the nose gear during landing.
- [NTSB CHI08CA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA087.md): Cessna 140 · Poplar Grove, IL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 23, 2008 · N3527V · Substantial damage
  > The left wing skin "fabric patch" separated from the wing ribs and spars for an undetermined reason.
- [NTSB LAX08FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08FA047.md): Beechcraft V35B · Selma, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 18, 2008 · N4662M · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control resulting in the in-flight break-up of the airplane due to aerodynamic overload. Contributing factors included the pilot's impairment due to multiple medical conditions and due to recent use of alcohol.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT e.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' e WHERE e."isDefiningEvent" AND e."tier2Number" = '337')
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/cases?page=4

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.