ANC07LA066

The airline transport pilot was landing a twin-engine retractable wheel airplane on a gravel-covered runway while on a cross-country personal flight. He said that after an uneventful touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and finally the nose landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident inspection of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector disclosed a fractured rod end assembly, which was part of the landing gear extension and retraction system. The FAA inspector noted that he was unable to determine whether the fractured rod end assembly was a factor in the landing gear collapse, or if the rod end fractured as a result of the landing gear collapse.

On July 12, 2007, about 1253 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine Beech Baron 58 airplane, N820GW, sustained substantial damage when the landing gear collapsed after landing at the Northway Airport, Northway, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airline transport certificated pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed the Whitehorse Airport, Whitehorse, Canada, about 1045.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 12, the pilot reported that after an uneventful touchdown on the gravel-covered runway, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and finally the nose landing gear. The pilot reported that there were no known problems with the landing gear prior to the accident. Airport maintenance personnel removed the accident airplane from Runway 23, and transported it to a parking area.

During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on July 13, the Northway Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station (FSS) specialist on duty at the time of the accident reported that the landing gear on the accident airplane appeared to be extended during the final landing approach.

On July 13, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Fairbanks Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), examined the accident airplane, and subsequently discovered a fractured rod end assembly associated with the landing gear extension and retraction system. The inspector reported that he was unable to positively determine whether the fractured rod end assembly was a factor in the landing gear collapse, or if the rod end fractured as the gear collapse. The FAA inspector reported structural damage to the accident airplane's fuselage and wings.