# NTSB investigations, 2009: 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.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA10LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10LA107.md): Maule M5 · LaGrange, GA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Dec 6, 2009 · N51620 · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the right main landing gear for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB WPR10LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA060.md): Mcdonnell Douglas Heli 369E · Kahuku, HI · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 20, 2009 · N551CR · Substantial damage
  > The fatigue failure of the landing gear strut and maintenance personnel’s failure to perform an adequate inspection of the landing gear.
- [NTSB ERA10FA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10FA062.md): Piper PA-28R-200 · Dennisville, NJ · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 14, 2009 · N4499T · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument-rated pilot's decision to depart into known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and overcontrol of the airplane and the subsequent in-flight structural failure. Contributing to the accident was…
- [NTSB CEN10FA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA044.md): Beech A36 · Spring Branch, TX · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Nov 8, 2009 · N91TD · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during cruise flight in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to this accident was the pilot’s lack of recent experience in flying in instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB CEN10FA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA027.md): Commander 114-B · Adrian, MI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 23, 2009 · N6025U · Substantial damage
  > The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation while on an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB ENG10WA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG10WA004.md): Boeing 737 · Melbourne Airport, Australia · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Oct 19, 2009 · VH-VUI · Minor damage
  > On October 20, 2009, at 0900 local time, a Virgin Blue Airlines Boeing 737-800 airplane, registration VH-VUI, experienced a failure of the right main landing gear outboard wheel assembly during landing at Melbourne Airport in Melbourne, Australia. No one was…
- [NTSB ENG09RA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG09RA019.md): Boeing 737 · Kuching, Malaysia · Incident · No injuries · Foreign investigation · Oct 2, 2009 · 9M-MMR · Minor damage
  > On October 2, 2009, about 0818 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) a Malaysia Airlines, Boeing 737-400 airplane, registration 9M-MMR, suffered a collapsed left main landing gear during pushback from the gate at Kuching International Airport, Kuching, Sarawak,…
- [NTSB CEN09LA611](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA611.md): Mckenna James E AVID-CATAL · Inks Lake, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 30, 2009 · N1945J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to take off with a known airframe deficiency.
- [NTSB WPR09LA453](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA453.md): Quad City Challenger II · Redlands, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 16, 2009 · N732LS · Substantial damage
  > Structural failure of the right wing during the landing approach due to the separation of the wing's fabric covering.
- [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 ERA09LA502](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA502.md): M-Squared Sprint 1000 · Madeira Beach, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 5, 2009 · N185SQ · Substantial damage
  > A loss of torque to the gearbox engine-side coupling flange bolts, which resulted in separation of the gearbox and propeller from the engine and the subsequent severing of the airplane's tail structure.
- [NTSB CEN09CA577](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA577.md): Ketonen Schreder · Ionia, MI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 5, 2009 · N161HP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot failed to maintain control of the glider during the aero-tow launch.
- [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 ERA09FA487](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA487.md): Socata TB20 · Pavo, GA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 27, 2009 · N654GT · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, with embedded intense thunderstorms, heavy rain, and severe to extreme turbulence, resulting in an in-flight separation of the left wing due to overstress.
- [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 ERA09LA392](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA392.md): Noles Vance L Vans RV7A · Sanderson, FL · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 8, 2009 · N774US · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions with convective activity and thunderstorms. Contributing to the accident was his failure to get an adequate weather briefing.
- [NTSB ERA09FA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA389.md): Cessna 421C · Gulf of Mexico · Accident · 5 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 8, 2009 · N4467D · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s decision to operate into a known area of adverse weather, which resulted in the inadvertent penetration of a severe thunderstorm, a subsequent loss of control, and in-flight breakup of the airplane.
- [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 CEN09FA340](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09FA340.md): Gulfstream American AA-5B · Humbird, WI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 2009 · N448DM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt a visual flight rules flight into an area of known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation.
- [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 WPR09FA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA192.md): Piper PA-24-250 · San Diego, CA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Apr 11, 2009 · N7690P · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to maintain control during an en route cruise descent through multiple cloud layers, resulting in an in-flight breakup.
- [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 WPR09FA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA116.md): Piper PA-24-260 · Hagerman, ID · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Feb 16, 2009 · N8810P · Destroyed
  > The student pilot's spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's mental condition which could have contributed to the inappropriate decision to fly the…
- [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 WPR09FA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA089.md): Glaser-Dirks DG-400 · Volcano, HI · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jan 16, 2009 · N777WN · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of pitch control and subsequent exceedance of the glider's airspeed limit for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB DCA09MA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA09MA026.md): Airbus A320 · Weehawken, NJ · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 1 · Major · Final report · Jan 15, 2009 · N106US · Substantial damage
  > The ingestion of large birds into each engine, which resulted in an almost total loss of thrust in both engines and the subsequent ditching on the Hudson River. Contributing to the fuselage damage and resulting unavailability of the aft slide/rafts were (1)…

## 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 year(c."eventDate") = 2009
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '337' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence?year=2009

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