# NTSB ANC02LA050: Cessna 185F, N333DG, Talkeetna, AK, June 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 14, 2002, 23:59 local (Jun 15, 2002, 07:59 UTC) - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Coordinates: 61.900001, -150.083892 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.9000&lon=-150.0839&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54970 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54970/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54970 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA050 ## Probable cause A fracture failure of the lower end of the spring steel landing gear strut. Factors contributing to the accident were the manufacturer's and the FAA's insufficient standards/requirements for inspection procedures. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - roll/run - acft/equip,inadequate standard/requirement, manufacturer (contributing factor) - landing gear,main gear strut - fractured (cause) - insufficient standards/requirements, faa(organization) (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, takeoff - roll/run ## Analysis The certificated commercial pilot, with one passenger aboard, was departing from a 900 foot long gravel bar in a tail wheel equipped airplane. The flight was operated as an on-demand charter flight. During acceleration for takeoff, after reaching about 45 knots, the left main landing gear strut fractured above the left wheel axle. The upper portion of the gear strut dug into the ground, and the airplane swerved to the left. The airplane continued off the left side of the site, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The operator reported that a visual inspection of the fractured landing gear strut revealed a fracture through the upper two holes in the gear strut. The lower end of the spring steel landing gear strut has four holes drilled through the metal in a box pattern. The axle is attached to the outboard side of the strut. Neither the manufacturer nor the FAA have established a life limit (hours or cycles) for the main landing gear strut. An annual inspection does not require disassembly of the axle from the gear strut. No inspection procedures, other than a general visual inspection of the landing gear, have been specified by the manufacturer or the FAA. On March 16, 2001, the NTSB recommended that the FAA issue an airworthiness directive (AD) to require an initial and recurring inspection of Cessna main landing gear spring steel struts, using nondestructive inspection techniques. On August 31, 2001, the FAA reported to the NTSB that the current inspection criteria outlined in the Cessna Maintenance Manual are adequate to detect cracks in the main landing gear struts, and that additional airworthiness action is not warranted. On March 25, 2002, the NTSB responded by stating, in part: "The Safety Board continues to believe that a visual inspection alone will not detect cracks in the Cessna main landing gear spring struts. However, the Safety Board acknowledges that the statistical evidence does not warrant issuance of ADs at this time as called for in the Board's recommendation." The safety recommendation was then classified as: "Closed-Reconsidered." ## Factual narrative On June 14, 2002, about 2359 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 185F airplane, N333DG, sustained substantial damage when the right wing struck the ground following a main landing gear strut failure during takeoff from an off airport site located about 30 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand charter flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The certificated commercial pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was in effect. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on June 15, the pilot reported that during acceleration for takeoff from a 900 foot long gravel bar, after reaching about 45 knots, the left main landing gear strut fractured above the left wheel axle. The upper portion of the gear strut dug into the ground, and the airplane swerved to the left. The airplane continued off the left side of the site, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The lower end of the spring steel landing gear strut has four holes drilled through the metal in a box pattern. The axle assembly, utilized when wheels and tires are installed, is attached to the outboard side of the strut. The operator reported that a visual inspection of the fractured landing gear strut revealed a fracture through the upper two holes in the gear strut. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated about 6,042 hours in service. The time in service of the failed gear strut is unknown. Currently, neither the manufacturer (Cessna Aircraft), nor the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have established a life limit (hours or cycles) for the main landing gear strut. An annual inspection does not require disassembly of the axle from the gear strut. The manufacturer, or the FAA, has specified no inspection procedures, other than a general visual inspection of the landing gear. On March 16, 2001, in a letter addressed to the FAA's administrator in Washington D.C., the NTSB recommended that the FAA issue an airworthiness directive (AD) to require an initial and recurring inspections of Cessna main landing gear spring steel struts, using nondestructive inspection techniques. On August 31, 2001, the FAA reported to the NTSB that the current visual inspection criteria outlined in the Cessna Maintenance Manual are adequate to detect cracks in the main landing gear struts, and that additional airworthiness action is not warranted. On March 25, 2002, the NTSB responded by stating, in part: "The Safety Board continues to believe that a visual inspection alone will not detect cracks in the Cessna main landing gear spring struts. However, the Safety Board acknowledges that the statistical evidence does not warrant issuance of ADs at this time as called for in the Board's recommendation." The safety recommendation was then classified as: "Closed-Reconsidered." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N333DG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N333DG), registered now, S/N 18503234, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 185F - Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520-D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-d) (registry code 17236, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18503234 - Airframe hours: 6042.6 - Engines: Continental IO-520 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Doug Geeting Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: TKA, Talkeetna, AK - Destination: TKA, Talkeetna, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 30, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 17,800 total, 13,000 in this make and model, 17,780 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 100 statute miles - Temperature: 19 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020615017409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020615017409A), Jun 15, 2002: Cessna A185F, Talkeetna, AK, No damage. (-23) On June 15, 2002, about 0015 adt, the wheel-equipped Cessna A185F aircraft, operating on a FAR 135 on-demand charter flight, sustained substantial damage… ## Other investigations on N333DG (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA134), Sep 1, 1998: Cessna 185E (N333DG), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control resulting in a inadvertent ground loop. A contributing factor was the induced pressure on the pilot by a sick passenger. - [NTSB ANC93LA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC93LA079), May 31, 1993: Cessna A185F (N333DG), Kahiltna Glacie, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND NOT MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. A FACTOR IS THE ROUGH CONDITION OF THE GLACIER AIRSTRIP. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 25, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54970. 760 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 532 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445353&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Recommendation Report# A-01-001 (item 2, .PDF, 123 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40177405&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recommendation%20Report%23%20A-01-001-Master.PDF - Recommendation Report# A-01-002 (item 3, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40177408&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recommendation%20Report%23%20A-01-002-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.