# NTSB ATL02IA065: Beech C24R, N6753L, Greenville, MS, March 14, 2002 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: March 14, 2002, 16:58 local (22:58 UTC) - Place: Greenville, MS - Coordinates: 33.482776, -90.985557 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4828&lon=-90.9856&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Jackson FSDO - 07 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54376 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02IA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54376/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54376 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02IA065 ## Probable cause An overload failure of the nose gear assembly for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - reason for occurrence undetermined - landing gear,nose gear assembly - overload (cause) - Wheels up landing, emergency landing - terrain condition - runway - terrain condition - foamed ## Analysis The airplane's nose wheel and nose gear housing fell onto the runway during takeoff. The pilot returned to the airport and executed an emergency gear-up landing on a foamed runway. Examination of the outboard nose gear housing flange revealed it was completely fractured approximately 300 degrees in the area where the nose gear yoke assembly connects to the housing. The left and right tow-limit stop bolts for the nose gear were bent. There was no record of previous damage or a known overstress event involving the nose gear assembly. Scanning electron microscope examination of the fractures revealed no evidence of fatigue. Laboratory-induced overstress of the component produced a fracture surface similar in morphology to the examined fractures. ## Factual narrative On March 14, 2002, at 1658 central standard time, a Beech C24R, N6753L, registered to and operated by the private pilot, landed gear-up during an emergency landing following a separation of the nose gear assembly at Mid Delta Regional Airport in Greenville, Mississippi. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with a VFR flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot was not injured, and the airplane sustained minor damage. The flight departed Mid Delta Regional Airport in Greenville, Mississippi, about 1220. The airplane's nose wheel and nose gear housing fell onto the runway during takeoff and were retrieved by persons on the ground. The pilot maneuvered in the area for hours to burn off fuel, then returned to the airport and executed an emergency gear-up landing on a foamed runway. Examination of the airplane revealed minor damage to the lower fuselage skin. The nose wheel and nose gear housing were separated, and the nose gear yoke assembly was fractured. The left and right tow-limit stop bolts for the nose gear was bent, and the rod end attached to the nose gear collar was bent. There was no record of previous damage or a known overstress event involving the nose gear assembly. Metallurgical examination of the nose gear assembly was performed by the National Transportation Safety Board, Office of Research and Engineering, Materials Laboratory Division, Washington, D.C. Examination of the outboard flange of the nose gear housing revealed the flange was completely fractured approximately 300 degrees in the area where the nose gear yoke assembly connects to the housing. Examination of the fracture surface revealed the crack initiated from one of three equally spaced bolt holes in the outboard flange. The fracture propagated in both directions circumferentially from one hole and terminated at the outboard surface of the flange. A longitudinal fracture propagated from another of the three bolt holes and terminated at the circumferential fracture. Scanning electron microscope examination of the circumferential fracture and the longitudinal fracture revealed no evidence of fatigue. Laboratory-induced overstress of the component produced a fracture surface similar in morphology to the circumferential and longitudinal fractures. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6753L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6753L), registered now, S/N MC-740, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech C24R - Registry model: [Beech C24R](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c24r) (registry code 1151254) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: MC-740 - Airframe hours: 3213 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Earnest Doyle Mosley - Registered owner: Doyle E Mosley - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2001 - Departed: GLH, Greenville, MS - Destination: DHN, Dothan, AL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: GLH, Mid Delta Regional, runway 18R, 7,019 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 1, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 3,800 total, 3,000 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.73 inHg - Observed at: GLH ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20020314003569I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020314003569I), Mar 14, 2002: Beech C24R, Greenville, MS, Minor damage. (.19) On March 14, 2002, at 1858 central standard time, a Beech C24R, N6753L, registered to and operated by the private pilot, experienced a separation of the… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 21, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54376. 1.7 MB in all. - Materials Laboratory Factual Report No. 02-106 nose gear housing (item 1, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40172786&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%20Report%20No.%2002-106%20nose%20gear%20housing-Master.PDF - Part Diagrams and Part Descriptions (item 2, .PDF, 294 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40182876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Part%20Diagrams%20and%20Part%20Descriptions-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.