# NTSB ERA16LA058: Cessna R182, N381MB, Sanford, FL, October 17, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 17, 2015, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC) - Place: Sanford, FL - Coordinates: 28.776945, -81.235 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.7769&lon=-81.2350&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 23, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO, Textron Aviation - NTSB case key (mKey): 92397 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/92397/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92397 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA058 ## Probable cause A collapse of the nose landing gear due to a separation of the drag attachment fitting from the airframe. The separation was likely due to preexisting damage from an undetermined event. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot and his instructor were performing practice takeoffs and landings. Following an uneventful short field takeoff and landing, the pilot set up for a short field touch-and-go landing. After a "normal" touchdown and before the application of full power, the instructor noted a "shudder" and "nose wheel shimmy," and the nose landing gear collapsed. The propeller struck the paved surface of the runway and the airplane came to a stop. Postaccident examination of the nose gear revealed that its actuator remained secured to the drag attachment fitting and that the nose landing gear was in the "down and locked" position. The drag attachment fitting was separated from the airframe. Subsequent examination revealed that the rivets that secured the drag attachment fitting to the airframe were sheared in overload. The shear loads were in the forward direction, which was inconsistent with the loads typically encountered during landing, suggesting that the damage predated the accident flight. The operator was not aware of any recent damage to the airplane; however, it had been recently rented for an extended period of time. ## Factual narrative On October 17, 2015, about 1115 eastern daylight time, a Cessna R182, N381MB, was substantially damaged during a touch-and-go landing at Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), Sanford, Florida. The private pilot and a flight instructor were not injured. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated at SFB about 1100.The flight instructor reported that he was scheduled with his private pilot-rated student for one hour of practice landings. The pilot performed the pre-flight inspection with no anomalies noted. Following an uneventful short field takeoff and landing, the pilot set up for a short field touch-and-go landing. The approach was normal and the landing gear indicated down and locked. After a normal touchdown, the pilot configured the airplane for the takeoff. Just prior to the application of full power, the instructor noted a "shudder" and "nose wheel shimmy" and then the nose gear collapsed. The propeller struck the paved surface of the runway and the airplane came to a stop. After securing the engine other systems, the pilots exited the airplane and waited for emergency personnel to arrive. Inspectors with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. They observed structural damage to fuselage, adjacent to the nose gear attachment point. The nose gear actuator was in the down and locked position and connected to the nose gear drag attachment fitting, part number 2243009-1. The nose gear drag attachment fitting was not accessible for further examination. The inspectors also reported that the airplane had been rented for an extended period since its most recent 100-hour inspection; however, the operator was not aware of any recent damage to the airplane. Subsequent to the FAA inspector's examination of the airframe, the purchaser of the wreckage removed the nose gear drag attachment fitting and photographed it at the request of the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The photographs were then provided to Textron Aviation for their examination. According to the aircraft manufacturer's representative, the rivets that attached the drag attachment fitting to the airframe appeared to be sheared from overload. The shear loads also appeared to be in the forward direction relative to the airplane. This type of damage was consistent with an abrupt force in the forward direction. ## Aircraft - Registration: N381MB (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA R182 (NO SERIES) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R18200385 - Year built: 1978 - Airframe hours: 5328 - Engines: Lycoming O-540 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 25, 2015, 86 hours before - Departed: SFB, Sanford, FL - Destination: SFB, Sanford, FL - Airport: SFB, Orlando Sanford Intl, runway 09L, 11,002 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 58; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 25, 2015; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 6,813 total, 358 in this make and model, 6,538 as pilot in command, 95 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 270 total, 24 in this make and model, 221 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.11 inHg - Observed at: SFB ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 10, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=92397. 1.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 439 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450958&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450959&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Pilot and Flight Instructor Statements (item 3, .PDF, 258 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450960&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20and%20Flight%20Instructor%20Statements-Master.PDF - Correspondence - Owner of Wreckage (item 4, .PDF, 194 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450961&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20-%20Owner%20of%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Noles (item 5, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450962&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Noles-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Hall (item 6, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450963&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Hall-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 7, .PDF, 343 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450964&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Photo Array (Courtesy of FAA) (item 8, .PDF, 5 photos, 227 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450965&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.