- Date
- February 2, 2013, 15:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Oshkosh, WI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N9691SChampion 7GCAA
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO Milwaukee
- FAA report
- 20130202002209A
- Case key
- 86371
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fatigue cracking and failure of the left wheel strut mount resulting in collapse of the left main landing gear during taxi.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
After performing three touch-and-go landings on a frozen lake, the pilot set up for a full stop landing on the plowed surface of the frozen lake. After a smooth landing, and while taxiing to park, the left wheel strut collapsed. The airplane tipped over onto its left side, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed evidence of fatigue cracking on the failed portion of the left wheel strut mount. The airplane had been flown about 50-75 hours after its last annual inspection with no problems noted by the owner. The pilot stated that he lands on frozen lakes frequently and that the collapse of the landing gear was unexpected.
Factual narrative
After performing three touch-and-go landings on a frozen lake, the pilot set up for a full stop landing on the plowed surface of the frozen lake. After a smooth landing, and while taxiing to park, the left wheel strut collapsed. The airplane tipped over onto its left side, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed evidence of fatigue cracking on the failed portion of the left wheel strut mount. The airplane had been flown about 50-75 hours after its last annual inspection with no problems noted by the owner. The pilot stated that he lands on frozen lakes frequently and that the collapse of the landing gear was unexpected.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9691S
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCAA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 115
- Airframe hours
- 6,542
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Keith Mustain
- Registered owner
- Keith Mustain
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 8, 2012 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
- Destination
- OSH · Oshkosh, WI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- OSH · Oshkosh
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 394 total · 334 in this make and model · 394 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- OSH, 7 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 13.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.