# NTSB ERA23LA277: Rockwell International 695, N515AM, Philadelphia, PA, May 31, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 31, 2023, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC) - Place: Philadelphia, PA · PHL - Coordinates: 39.872084, -75.240663 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8721&lon=-75.2407&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 192481 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA277 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192481/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192481 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA277 ## Probable cause Failure of the nose gear support structure for unknown reasons, which resulted in the nose landing gear collapsing during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: nose/tail landing gear](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Rockwell International 695, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md?model=7630518), [All aircraft, 185 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023220/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Rockwell International 695, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=7630518), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot said that after a normal touch down he felt a wobble in the nose landing gear before it collapsed. The nose landing gear was pushed back into its wheel well and the airplane slid to a stop on the forward lower fuselage, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination revealed the upper drag brace pivot support structure of the nose landing gear was damaged, which most likely allowed the drag brace to rotate and the nose gear to retract/collapse. It was not determined why the support structure failed. ## Factual narrative On May 31, 2023, at 1545 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell International Corporation 695 airplane, N515AM, was involved in an accident at the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he made normal landing but began to feel a “wobble” in the nose landing gear before it collapsed. The nose landing gear was pushed back into its wheel well and the airplane slid to a stop on the forward lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the skin, stringers, and frames that required a major repair. The pressure vessel was not breached. According to the airplane type certificate holder, who performed an engineering inspection and some repairs to the airplane in preparation for it to be ferried for additional repairs, the nose landing gear upper drag brace pivot support structure was found damaged. This damage may have resulted in the drag brace rotating and the landing gear retracting/collapsing upon landing. It was not determined as to why the support structure failed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N515AM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N515AM), registered now, S/N 95008, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL CORP 695 - Registry model: [Rockwell International 695](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-695) (registry code 7630518) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 95008 - Year built: 1980 - Airframe hours: 10561 - Engines: Honeywell TPE-331-10-511K 1000 horsepower turbo prop; Honeywell TPE-331-10-511K 1000 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Allen Myland Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 3, 2023 - Departed: 17N, Williamstown, NJ - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: PHL, Philadelphia Intl, runway 35, 6,500 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 9, 2022; seat: left; flight hours: 3,669 total, 740 in this make and model, 3,279 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 7 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.14 inHg - Observed at: KPHL, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KPHL 311954Z 09007KT 9SM FEW250 26/10 A3014 RMK AO2 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20230531007329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230531007329A), May 31, 2023: Rockwell International Corp 695, Philadelphia, PA, Substantial damage. Pilot reported a violent shimmy in nose landing gear upon touchdown on runway 35, and immediately thereafter, the nose landing gear collapsed. Both personnel… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192481. 18.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 13.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16791429&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 299 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16791072&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - Manufacturer - engineering nto report (item 3, PDF, 19 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16791742&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Commander%20NTO%20Engineering%20Report_redacted-Rel.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.