# NTSB ANC05LA055: Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander, N29884, Klawock, AK, April 6, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 6, 2005, 14:35 local (22:35 UTC) - Place: Klawock, AK - Coordinates: 55.566665, -133.066665 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.5667&lon=-133.0667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - ADs cited in the narratives: [AD 2002-02-11](https://openairdocs.org/ad/2002-02-11) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 61279 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC05LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61279/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC05LA055 ## Probable cause The fracture of the aluminum alloy landing gear bracket assembly, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - roll - landing gear,main gear - fractured (cause) - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not possible, pilot in command - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The airline transport certificated pilot was landing a twin-engine airplane on a paved runway. The flight was conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he noted a significant airframe vibration, and a pronounced rumbling noise as the airplane slowed. As he applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, and the nose of the airplane struck a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. During a postaccident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken aluminum alloy landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly. Operators that use the aluminum alloy landing gear oleo attachment brackets are required to conduct recurring inspections every 500 hours, or every 1,200 landings, which ever occurs first. According to the FAA airworthiness inspector that inspected the accident airplane's maintenance records, the aluminum alloy oleo attachment bracket was last inspected about 101.0 hours, and 218 landings before the accident. The FAA inspector commented that there was a substantial accumulation of dirt, grease, and oil on and around the broken oleo attachment bracket. ## Factual narrative On April 6, 2005, about 1435 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander airplane, N29884, sustained substantial damage following a main landing gear component failure and subsequent loss of control while landing at the Klawock Airport, Klawock, Alaska. The flight was conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by LAB Flying Service, Haines, Alaska, as Flight 609. The airline transport certificated pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The accident flight originated at the Ketchikan Airport, Ketchikan, Alaska, about 1400. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on April 7, the pilot reported that during the landing roll on runway 02, he noted a significant airframe vibration, and a pronounced rumbling noise as the airplane slowed. He said that as he applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the airplane on the runway surface. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, and the nose of the airplane struck a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. During a postaccident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly. The accident airplane's broken landing gear oleo attachment bracket, part number NB-40-0075, is the subject of a repetitive inspection procedure outlined in the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) airworthiness directive (AD) 2002-02-11, which allows two methods of compliance; the part may be replaced or the bracket must be inspected more frequently. The manufacturer has changed the design of the oleo attachment bracket which is made of aluminum alloy. The newly designed oleo attachment bracket, part number NB-40-0479 is made of steel. Installation of the newly designed, steel oleo attachment bracket significantly reduces the number of repetitive inspections required. Operators that elect to utilize the old style aluminum alloy oleo attachment brackets are required to conduct recurring inspections every 500 hours, or every 1,200 landings, which ever occurs first. According to an FAA airworthiness inspector from the Juneau Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), who inspected the accident airplane's maintenance records, the aluminum alloy oleo attachment brackets were last inspected about 101.0 hours, and 218 landings before the accident. The FAA inspector noted that there was a substantial accumulation of dirt, grease, and oil on and around the broken oleo attachment bracket. The FAA inspector said that during the last main landing gear overhaul, the operator elected to install the old style aluminum alloy oleo attachment brackets, primarily due to the cost of the new style steel oleo attachment brackets. ## Aircraft - Registration: N29884 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 847 - Airframe hours: 9145.9 - Engines: Lycoming O-540-E4CS 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: L A B Flying Service Inc - Registered owner: L & A Bennett, Family Trust - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, March 1, 2005, 25.7 hours before - Departed: PAKT, Ketchikan, AK - Destination: PAKW, Klawock, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: AKW, Klawock, runway 02, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 13,000 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 12,600 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 29.75 inHg - Observed at: PAKW ## 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 20050406006419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050406006419A), Apr 6, 2005: Bnorm BN2A26, Klawock, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Upon landing the left hand main landing gear oleo attachment bracket broke at the flange radius allowing the gear assembly to rotate and causing the left… 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.