# NTSB ANC12IA085: Bellanca 8KCAB, N5026B, Homer, AK, July 29, 2012 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: July 29, 2012, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Homer, AK - Coordinates: 59.645557, -151.476669 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.6456&lon=-151.4767&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Anchorage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 84611 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC12IA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84611/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84611 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12IA085 ## Probable cause The failure of the left main landing gear leg due to fatigue. Contributing to the incident was maintenance personnel's failure to completely remove all corrosion before repainting the gear leg. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: repair](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015/cases.md?model=1220801), [All aircraft, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062015/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: main landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 8KCAB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md?model=1220801), [All aircraft, 241 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023210/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 8KCAB, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1220801), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry paved runway. He stated that just after touchdown, he heard a noise and felt the airplane pull to the left. He tried to abort the landing, but noted that the left main landing gear had separated from the fuselage, so he landed the airplane in the grassy area adjacent to the runway. During the landing the airplane sustained minor damage. The spring steel left main landing gear assembly was fractured about 5 inches from the fuselage attach point. Postaccident metallurgical examination revealed that the landing gear leg fractured due to fatigue that initiated from pits on the lower surface of the leg. The pits were filled with brown paint that was covered with white paint. Therefore, it is likely that the pits were formed by corrosion that was not completely removed before the gear leg was repainted. ## Factual narrative On July 29, 2012, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a Bellanca 8KCAB airplane, N5026B, sustained minor damage during landing at the Homer Airport, Homer, Alaska. The solo airline transport rated pilot was not injured. The airplane was being operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight when the incident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. In an interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 8, the pilot stated that just after touchdown on the dry paved runway, he heard a noise and felt the airplane pull to the left. He lifted the airplane off the runway, and noticed that the left main landing gear had separated from the fuselage. He elected to immediately land the airplane in the grass safety area adjacent to the runway. The spring steel left main landing gear assembly was fractured approximately 5 inches from the fuselage attach point. An examination of the landing gear assembly was performed by the NTSB Materials Laboratory, and revealed the gear leg fractured due to fatigue that initiated from pits on the lower surface of the leg. The pits were filled with brown paint, and the brown paint was covered with white paint. A complete copy of the NTSB's materials laboratory factual report is included in the public docket for this accident. The pilot did not complete a NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5026B](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5026B), registered now, S/N 442-78, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 8KCAB - Registry model: [Bellanca 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-8kcab) (registry code 1220801) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-series) (registry code 41522, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 442-78 - Airframe hours: 2314 - Engines: LYCOMING AEIO-360 SER 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 1, 2012 - Departed: Anchorage, AK - Destination: Homer, AK - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: PAHO, Homer Airport, runway 21, 6,701 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; seat: front ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 10 knots, gusting 19 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: PAHO ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 18, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84611. 1.6 MB in all. - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 12-148 (10 Embedded Images) (item 1, .PDF, 10 photos, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40384518&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2012-148%20(10%20Embedded%20Images)-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation (item 2, .PDF, 23 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40385819&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-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.