ANC98LA017

The pilot landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard surface runway. The airplane was equipped with 29-inch tundra tires. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear wheel began to vibrate. The left wheel axle then broke, and the left wheel departed from the landing gear strut. The left wing tip struck the ground, and the airplane received damage to the left wing, left aileron, and the left elevator. The pilot stated the axle attaching bolts that secure the axle to the strut were stripped of their threads.

On February 24, 1998, at 1534 Alaska standard time, a tailwheel equipped Cessna 185E airplane, N4535F, sustained substantial damage during the landing roll at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot, and the two passengers were uninjured. The airplane is registered to, and operated by, the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed the Big Lake Airport, Big Lake, Alaska, about 1510.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 25, 1998, at 0920, the pilot reported he landed normally on the asphalt surface of runway 24 at Merrill Field. The airplane is equipped with large tundra tires. During the landing roll, the left main landing gear wheel began to vibrate. The left wheel axle then broke, and the left wheel departed from the landing gear strut. The left wing tip struck the ground, and the airplane received damage to the left wing, left aileron, and the left elevator. The pilot stated the axle attaching bolts that secure the axle to the strut, were stripped of their threads.

In the pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, the form contains an optional entry for operator recommendations. The pilot included a recommendation to limit the use of 29 inch tires to non-paved surfaces.