- Date
- October 15, 1999, 16:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- Cambridge, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4621LCessna 172G
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991015030529A
- Case key
- 47570
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 fractured main landing gear due to the improper maintenance by an unknown person(s) and the inadequate annual inspection by an unqualified person.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The Cessna 172G impacted the runway during landing following a loss of directional control. The right main landing gear strut had fractured at a weld attaching the cabin entry step to the strut. .' Inspection of the right main landing gear revealed that the cabin entry step was welded on the bottom side of the strut. The cabin entry step on the left main landing gear strut was also welded to its strut. There was no logbook entry regarding the welding of the cabin entry step. The last annual inspection was not performed by an inspection authorized (IA) airframe and powerplant mechanic. The Cessna Service Manual states the following under section 5-7, Step Bracket Replacement, 'The step bracket is secured to the landing gear strut with Conley-Weld, or a similar epoxy base adhesive.'
Factual narrative
On October 15, 1999, at 1650 central daylight time, a Cessna 172G, N4621L, owned and piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged following a loss of directional control during landing on runway 34 (3,200 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at Cambridge Municipal Airport, Cambridge, Minnesota. The right main landing gear strut had fractured at a weld attaching the cabin entry step to the strut. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The flight departed from Anoka County Airport, Blaine, Minnesota, at 1445, en route to Cambridge Municipal Airport.
The pilot reported the following in a written statement, "...Upon touchdown on runway 34, I heard a loud snapping noise and then felt something hit bottom right side of fuselage and aircraft began to swerve to right side of runway. I immediately pulled throttle and mixture out and applied left brake to try to return to centerline. The aircraft continued to track off runway into a grassy area on east side of runway. The aircraft stopped approximately 25 yards from edge of runway 34 with the right wingtip and right elevator touching the ground. The right main spring steel landing gear was found at edge of runway."
Inspection of the right main landing gear by a Federal Aviation Administration Maintenance Inspector revealed that the cabin entry step was welded on the bottom side of the strut. The cabin entry step on the left main landing gear strut was also welded to its strut. According to the FAA Inspector, there was no logbook entry regarding the welding of the cabin entry step. The last annual inspection was not performed by an inspection authorized (IA) airframe and powerplant mechanic.
The Cessna Service Manual states the following under section 5-7, Step Bracket Replacement, "The step bracket is secured to the landing gear strut with Conley-Weld, or a similar epoxy base adhesive."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4621L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-54616
- Airframe hours
- 5,230
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Timothy J. Weiss
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 1999 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- ANE · Blaine, MN
- Destination
- CBG
- Airport
- CRG · Cambridge Municipal, runway 34, 3,200 × 75 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
- 31
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,780 total · 600 in this make and model · 1,155 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CBG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4621L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.