- Date
- September 29, 2003, 17:00 local (Sep 30, 2003, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Ana, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9564BCessna 172RG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviatiion Administration
- FAA report
- 20030929025079A
- Case key
- 57965
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 failure of the right main landing gear pivot assembly.
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 pilot intentionally landed the airplane with the landing gear retracted. In preparation for landing, he lowered the landing gear handle but did not get a green safe light. The pilot could visually see that the right main strut was not in position. He cycled the landing gear multiple times and contacted Sunrise Aviation via the radio for troubleshooting assistance but the situation could not be remedied. He decided to make an intentional gear up landing. Examination of the airplane revealed failure of the right landing gear pivot assembly.
Factual narrative
On September 29, 2003, about 1700 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172RG, N9564B, landed with its landing gear retracted at John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana, California. Sunrise Aviation operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The local personal flight originated at John Wayne Airport.
The pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that in preparation for landing he lowered the landing gear handle but did not get a green safe light. The pilot could visually see that the right main strut was not in position. He cycled the landing gear multiple times and contacted Sunrise Aviation via the radio for troubleshooting assistance but the situation could not be remedied. He decided to make an intentional gear up landing.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed airframe keel damage and failure of the right landing gear pivot assembly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9564B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG0884
- Airframe hours
- 7,748
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-F1A6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sunrise Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 5, 2003
- Departed
- KSNA · Santa Ana, CA
- Destination
- KSNA
- Airport
- KSNA · John Wayne Airport, runway 19R, 5,700 × 150 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 20, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 414 total · 68 in this make and model · 310 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KSNA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.