# NTSB CEN10LA207: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 Echo Super, N323BR, Baytown, TX, March 7, 2010

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 7, 2010, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Baytown, TX
- Coordinates: 29.73994, -94.960571 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7399&lon=-94.9606&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 12, 2011
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Tecnam USA, FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 75784
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA207
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75784/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75784
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA207

## Probable cause

The failure of the landing gear bolts.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Landing gear system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 ECHO SUPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/cases.md?model=0600007), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023200/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: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 ECHO SUPER, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=0600007), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 ECHO SUPER, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=0600007), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The certificated flight instructor and student pilot planned on performing a full-stop landing on the runway. After making a normal touchdown, and as the airplane slowed down, the right-main gear collapsed. The right wing impacted the runway and the light-sport airplane sustained structural damage. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the three bolts attaching the right-main landing gear had failed. The bolts were sent to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory for examination. The examination noted that the two outboard bolts both had crack arrest markings, consistent with fatigue cracking from multiple origins. The third bolt (inboard) had signatures of necking and bending of the grip diameter and fracture characteristics consistent with an overstress separation. Prior to the accident, the airplane manufacturer had issued two service bulletins to address concerns with the proper torque on the landing gear bolts and replacement of the bolts. A review of the accident airplane maintenance records showed that the proper torque inspection service bulletin had been complied with; however, the replacement of the landing gear bolts with stronger bolts (service bulletin) was not applicable to this light-sport airplane.

## Factual narrative

On March 7, 2010, about 1400 Central Standard Time, a Tecnam P92, Light Sport airplane, N323BR, sustained substantial damage when the landing gear collapsed after landing at the RWJ Airpark (54T), Baytown, Texas. The airplane was registered to 323 BR, Inc. and operated by the Flying Tigers Flight School. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight departed Ellington Field (EFD), Houston, Texas, about 1230. The flight instructor reported that they were doing a full stop landing on runway 08 at 54T. He added that it was a smooth landing and as the airplane was slowing down the right-main gear collapsed. The right wing impacted the runway. After turning off the engine, fuel, and (electrical) master switch, the student pilot and flight instructor exited the airplane. An on-site inspection of the airplane revealed that the 3 bolts holding the right-main landing gear, had failed. The bolts were sent to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for examination. The Materials Laboratory Factual Report noted that the two outboard bolts both had “crack arrest markings, consistent with fatigue cracking from multiple origins”. The third bolt (inboard), had “necking and bending of the grip diameter …. and fracture characteristics consistent with an overstress separation.” The bolts submitted to the lab appeared to be UNI 5737 bolts. Tecnam Service Bulletin, P92/001, issued August 7, 2007, required an inspection of the landing gear bolts (within 10 hrs), for proper torque. If the bolts required replacement, the service bulletin listed bolts conforming to MS specifications instead of the UNI specifications. Tecnam also issued service bulletin, SB 004-CS, that recommended owners replace the original bolts with the MS bolts; however, the bulletin was not mandatory, nor did it apply to N323BR due to serial number.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N323BR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N323BR-2018-08-10), registration cancelled 2018-08-10, S/N 986, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P92 ECHO SUPER
- Registry model: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 ECHO SUPER](https://openairdocs.org/model/costruzioni-aeronautiche-tecna-p92-echo-super) (registry code 0600007) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 986
- Airframe hours: 990
- Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Flying Tigers Flight School
- Registered owner: 323 Br Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, October 16, 2009
- Departed: KEFD, Ellington Field, TX
- Destination: KEFD, Ellington Field, TX
- Airport: 54T, RWJ Airpark, runway 08, 5,035 × 40 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 21; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 7, 2008; seat: right; flight hours: 1,282 total, 1,013 as pilot in command, 92 in the last 90 days, 34 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 59; injuries: none; student; seat: left; flight hours: 71 total, 63 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KEFD, 19 nm away

## Other investigations on N323BR (1)

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.

- [NTSB CEN16FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA094), Feb 1, 2016: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 Echo Super (N323BR), Arcola, TX, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The student pilot's loss of control after exceeding the airplane's critical angle-of-attack, which lead to a power-on, aerodynamic departure stall. Contributing to the accident was the flight…

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 15, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75784. 6.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 831 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340740&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340743&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF
- Other Pertinent Forms and Reports (item 3, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340744&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Redacted.PDF
- Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 4, .PDF, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340745&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF
- Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report 10-061 (item 5, .PDF, 715 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40331541&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%2010-061-Master.PDF
- Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 6, .PDF, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341147&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.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.

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