# NTSB ANC17LA042: Beech 19A, N6523T, Palmer, AK, August 5, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 4, 2017, 19:00 local (Aug 5, 2017, 03:00 UTC) - Place: Palmer, AK - Coordinates: 62.521945, -148.587219 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.5219&lon=-148.5872&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 95768 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC17LA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95768/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95768 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA042 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing, which resulted in the right main landing (MLG) tire impacting a rock and the subsequent loss of directional control and collapse of the right MLG. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 19A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1151214), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 19A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md?model=1151214), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: debris/dirt/foreign object](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 19A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md?model=1151214), [All aircraft, 101 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022055/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 19A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151214), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 19A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1151214), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Beech 19A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1151214), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the private pilot, while landing at a remote, unimproved airstrip, the right main landing (MLG) tire impacted a rock. The airplane then began to veer right, and the MLG collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right MLG separated near its attachment point. Visual and magnified optical examinations of the fractured surfaces revealed features consistent with a bending overstress fracture. Due to the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain to land, the right main tire impacted a rock, which resulted in the subsequent loss of directional control and collapse of the right MLG. ## Factual narrative On August 4, 2017, about 1900 Alaska daylight time, a tricycle gear equipped Beech BE19 airplane, N6523T, sustained substantial damage while landing at a remote unimproved airstrip, about 25 miles southeast of Palmer, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 visual flight rules flight. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Merrill Field Airport (PAMR), Anchorage, Alaska at about 1745. According to the pilot, while landing at a remote unimproved airstrip, the right main tire impacted a rock. The airplane began to veer to the right, and the right main gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and horizontal stabilizer. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Senior Metallurgist reported that visual and magnified optical examination of the fractured surfaces revealed features consistent with a bending overstress separation. No indications of preexisting fatigue, corrosion or significant porosity were detected. (A synopsis of the NTSB Metallurgist's case review is included in the public docket for this accident.) In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been avoided if the Federal Aviation Administration or Alaska Department of Transportation would have provided minimal funding to local pilot groups to provide minimal maintenance of routinely used backcountry airstrips. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6523T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6523T-2018-08-07), registration cancelled 2018-08-07, S/N MB-357, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 19A (A) - Registry model: [Beech 19A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-19a) (registry code 1151214) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: MB-357 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 3802.03 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 9, 2017 - Departed: MRI, ANCHORAGE, AK - Destination: MRI, ANCHORAGE, AK - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 33; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,200 total, 303 in this make and model, 1,127 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: PAAQ, 25 nm away ## 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 20170804017939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170804017939A), Aug 4, 2017: Beech 19A, Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. Stakeholder was flying with another aircraft performing local area familiarization The weather was blue skies (VFR) with no wind Stakeholder decided to land at… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95768. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474609&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Materials Laboratory (item 2, .PDF, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474610&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 355 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40474612&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.