- Date
- July 6, 1995, 17:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Wheeling, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N60078Beech 76
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 6, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950706016679A
- Case key
- 9934
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 dual student's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions, and the CFI's inadequate supervision of the flight. A factor associated with the accident was the gusty crosswind condition.
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 pilots reported the left main gear collapsed on touchdown. The airplane veered to the left side of the runway where it contacted a runway light. Witnesses stated the airplane was too high and fast during the landing approach. They stated the airplane landed hard and bounced prior to veering off the left side of the runway. Inspection of the landing gear revealed an overload failure. The landing was being made on runway 16 with winds from 250 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 25 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 6, 1995, at 1750 central daylight time (cdt), a Beech 76, N60078, experienced a hard landing and subsequent collision with a runway light while landing on runway 16 (5,137' x 100') at the Palwaukee Airport, Wheeling, Illinois. The 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight was operating on a VFR flight plan in visual meteorological conditions. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and private (student) pilot were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight originated from Palwaukee Airport at 1700 cdt.
In their written statements, both pilots stated the airplane was crabbed during the approach to compensate for the crosswind. On short final the airplane was transitioned to the "wing low method." They reported that upon touchdown, the left main landing gear failed. The CFI then took control of the airplane and applied full right rudder. The airplane veered to the left side of the runway where it contacted a runway light, puncturing the fuel tank.
Local winds reported at the time of the accident were from 250 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 25 knots.
During a telephone interview with the IIC, controller in the Palwaukee Air Traffic Control Tower stated the airplane appeared too high and fast during the landing approach. It dropped onto the runway and bounced prior to veering to the left side of the runway.
Inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector disclosed the landing gear appeared to have filed due to overload.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N60078
- Reported as
- Beech 76
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- ME-139
- Airframe hours
- 3,445
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1G6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gary C. Mitchell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 16, 1995 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- PWK
- Airport
- PWK · Palwaukee, runway 16, 5,137 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,370 total · 7 in this make and model · 1,265 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PWK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.