# NTSB GAA16CA286: Cessna 172, N539MT, Arlington, WA, June 6, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 6, 2016, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Arlington, WA - Coordinates: 48.160831, -122.159164 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.1608&lon=-122.1592&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 May 15, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 93333 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA16CA286 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93333/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93333 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA286 ## Probable cause The failure of the airplane’s right steering rod end, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain directional control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: landing gear steering system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250/cases.md?model=2072410), [All aircraft, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: nose/tail gear attach section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023221): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172D, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023221/cases.md?model=2072410), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023221/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072410), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: [Cessna 172D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072410), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172D, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072410), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot of the tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane, he made a normal landing, but the airplane began to veer left of the centerline during the landing roll. He corrected with right rudder and heard a "thump" as if something affixed to the airplane was being dragged, and the rudder steering became ineffective. He recalled that, with constant hard right rudder input, coupled with dynamic braking, he turned the airplane to the right, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. Photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right steering rod end had failed and that the bolts of the nose gear firewall mount were pulled from the firewall. The nose gear assembly had rotated more than 90° to the left and was found underneath the fuselage. The NTSB investigator-in-charge asked that the two additional airplanes in the operator's inventory be inspected. The operator found that the steering rod ends of the inspected airplanes were bent and showed signs of cracking between the threads. The steering bungees were visually inspected; however, they could not be thoroughly inspected without damaging the component. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot of the tri-cycle landing gear-equipped airplane, he made a normal landing, but the airplane began to veer left of the centerline during the landing roll. He corrected with right rudder and heard a "thump" as if something affixed to the airplane was being dragged and the rudder steering became ineffective. He recalled that with constant hard right rudder input, coupled with dynamic braking, he turned the airplane to the right, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane skidded to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The photographs provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector revealed that the right steering rod end had failed. Photographs also revealed that the bolts of the nose gear firewall mount were pulled from the firewall. The nose gear assembly had rotated more than 90° to the left and was found underneath the fuselage. The NTSB Investigator-in-charge asked that the two additional airplanes in the operator's inventory be inspected. The operator found that the steering rod ends of the inspected airplanes, were bent and showed signs of cracking between the threads. The steering bungees were visually inspected; however, they could not be thoroughly inspected without damaging the component. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N539MT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N539MT), registered now, S/N 17249604, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (D) - Registry model: [Cessna 172D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172d) (registry code 2072410) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17249604 - Year built: 1962 - Airframe hours: 4741.4 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mission Aviation Training Academy - Registered owner: Mission Aviation Training Academy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 10, 2015 - Departed: W33, Friday Harbor, WA - Destination: AWO, Arlington, WA - Airport: AWO, Arlington Muni, runway 34, 5,332 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 24, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 283 total, 175 in this make and model, 214 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.94 inHg - Observed at: KAWO ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 11, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93333. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40454449&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Director of Maintenance Statement (item 2, .PDF, 128 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451043&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Director%20of%20Maintenance%20Statement-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 12 photos, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40451044&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.