- Date
- August 30, 2013, 19:30 local (Aug 31, 2013, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Paris, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N862Cessna/Weaver 305 - E
- Defining event
- Landing: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Dallas FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130830021719A
- Case key
- 87993
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
The failure of a landing gear O-ring, which prevented the pilot from being able to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Findings · 2
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 touchdown, the right main landing gear began to oscillate and brake. The pilot applied the left brake to compensate for the right main landing gear braking; the propeller then contacted the runway, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the right main landing gear revealed that the outside O-ring was blown, which prevented the pilot from being able to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Factual narrative
On August 30, 2013, at 1930 central daylight time, a Weaver Cessna 305E, N862, nosed-over and impacted the runway during landing at Cox Field Airport (PRX), Paris, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and vertical stabilizer. The private pilot was uninjured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that originated from PRX. In a written statement provided to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot stated that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear wheels during a wheel landing on runway 17. The engine power was at idle and after about 4-5 seconds, the right main landing gear started to oscillate causing a braking effect. To compensate, the pilot added left brake. The propeller then contacted the runway surface and the airplane suddenly nosed-over. An airplane logbook entry dated September 25, 2013, stated that inspection of the Cessna L-19 castoring landing gear revealed that the outside O-ring was blown resulting in insufficient fluid pressure. The entry made reference to the Cessna L-19 Maintenance Manual, page 4-53, figure 4-29. A National Transportation Safety Board Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (Form 6120.1) was emailed to the pilot on September 20, 2013, and on November 25, 2013. Form 6120.1 was not received from the pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N862
- Reported as
- Cessna/Weaver 305 - E (E)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- WA862
- Built
- 1995
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- PRX · Paris, TX
- Destination
- PRX · Paris, TX
- Airport
- PRX · Cox Field Airport, runway 17, 6,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Flight hours
- 650 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- PRX
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 473 KB 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.