# NTSB LAX95LA152: American Champion 8KCAB, N111LS, Long Beach, CA, April 1, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 1, 1995, 14:50 local (22:50 UTC) - Place: Long Beach, CA - Coordinates: 33.830909, -118.180015 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8309&lon=-118.1800&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29067 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX95LA152 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29067/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX95LA152 ## Probable cause the failure and collapse of the left main landing gear due to a defective and improper weld by the manufacturer. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Main gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,main gear attachment - separation (cause) - installation - improper, manufacturer (cause) - inadequate quality control, manufacturer (cause) ## Analysis THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCHING DOWN HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCE SLIGHTLY. HE RECOVERED FROM THE BOUNCE AND CONTINUED THE LANDING. DURING ROLLOUT, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO LIST EXCESSIVELY TOWARD ITS LEFT SIDE. IN SPITE OF HIS CONTROL INPUTS, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO LIST UNTIL THE LEFT WING FINALLY CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT BRACKET HAD SEPARATED IN THE AREA OF THE WELD. A STEREO MICROSCOPE EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES REVEALED A LACK OF WELD FUSION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANUFACTURED IN JANUARY 1995 AND HAD ACCRUED A TOTAL OF 71.9 HOURS FLIGHT TIME WITH NO REPORTED PRIOR DAMAGE. ## Factual narrative On April 1, 1995, at 1450 Pacific standard time, an American Champion 8KCAB, N111LS, sustained substantial damage while making a wheel landing at Long Beach, California. The aircraft was operated by Hart Air Squadron Jg 54 and was on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions were prevalent at the time and no flight plan had been filed. Neither the certificated private pilot nor his passenger were injured. The flight originated from the Long Beach airport at 1400 on the day of the accident. The pilot reported that he had been cleared to land on runway 25R and was prepared to execute a wheel landing. After initially touching down at 85 mph, he felt the aircraft bounce slightly then drift right of the runway centerline. He recovered from the bounce and realigned the aircraft with the runway. When he again touched down, he lowered his left wing slightly to compensate for the left crosswind. During rollout, the pilot noticed that the aircraft began to list excessively toward its left side. He attempted to correct the condition by applying right aileron, but lost control effectiveness as the aircraft slowed. The aircraft continued to list until the left wing contacted the runway. As the left gear collapsed, the aircraft veered right, coming to a stop near midfield and off the right side of the runway. The postaccident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the left main landing gear attachment bracket of the aircraft had separated in the area of the weld. The separated weld section was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory Division for inspection. A stereo microscope examination of the fractures revealed a lack of weld fusion. The aircraft was manufactured in January of 1995 and had accrued 71 total hours of operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N111LS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N111LS), registered now, S/N 740-95, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: American Champion (ACAC) 8KCAB - Registry model: [American Champion 8KCAB](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-champion-8kcab) (registry code 2121000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming AEIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-series) (registry code 41522, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 740-95 - Airframe hours: 71 - Engines: LYCOMING AEIO-360 HIA 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Don Hart, doing business as Hart Air - Registered owner: Larry W. Shriver - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic - Last inspection: Annual, January 6, 1995, 71 hours before - Departed: LGB - Airport: LGB, Daugherty Field, runway 25R, 6,192 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 133 total, 11 in this make and model, 87 as pilot in command, 26 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 8 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: LGB ## 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 19950401006439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950401006439A), Apr 1, 1995: Bbavia 8KCAB, Long Beach, CA, Substantial damage. Lost directional control landing. Left wing hit runway. Gear attach bracket failed at weld. Lack of weld fusion. 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.