# NTSB LAX98LA216: Cessna 180H, N4803E, Ocotillo Wells, CA, June 29, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 28, 1998, 19:15 local (Jun 29, 1998, 02:15 UTC) - Place: Ocotillo Wells, CA - Coordinates: 32.719486, -115.880432 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7195&lon=-115.8804&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 28, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 30134 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA216 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/30134/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA216 ## Probable cause Failure of the left main landing gear due to a probable hard landing at an undetermined time. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - landing gear,main gear - overload (cause) - landing gear,main gear attachment - distorted (cause) - landing gear,main gear attachment - stripped thread (cause) - touchdown - excessive, unknown (cause) ## Analysis An intermediate stop was made at another airport to pickup a passenger before continuing on to the accident airport. No discrepancies were noted with the landing at the intermediate stopover. On touchdown at the accident airport, both the pilot and passenger heard a snap sound, followed shortly by the left main landing gear turning under the fuselage and departing the aircraft. Both the pilot and passenger stated that the landing was normal. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the failed landing gear attach bolt was distorted, with the threads on the bolt and the associated nut stripped. The examination further revealed that the landing gear attachment hole was elongated. Examination of the dirt runway surface revealed no ruts, potholes, or other defects. No unusual tracks or markings were found on the surface until just before the resting point of the airplane. ## Factual narrative On June 28, 1998, at 1915 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180H, N4803E, sustained a collapsed left main landing gear during rollout following landing on a dirt strip at the Ocotillo Wells, California, airport. The airplane, owned and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot/owner and pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated from Fallbrook, California, at an unknown time, with an intermediate stop at Gillespie Field, San Diego, California, to pick up the passenger before continuing on to Ocotillo Wells. The pilot stated that they arrived at Ocotillo Wells, a dry lake bed, at approximately 1915. He stated that on touchdown he heard a "snap sound." On the landing rollout, at 20 knots, the left main landing gear turned under the fuselage and departed the airplane. The pilot reported that the airplane made a slight turn to the right before falling on the left wing. The passenger noted that no discrepancies were noted with any portion of the flight; however, right after touchdown he heard a snap or pop sound, then the airplane rolled to the left. Review of the airplane logbook by a Safety Board Investigator revealed that the last annual maintenance was performed on July 24, 1997, with no discrepancies noted. The landing gear was inspected by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. He noted that the landing gear attach bolt was distorted, and the threads on the bolt and nut were stripped. He was able to view through the access hole the left-hand attachment hole for the landing gear attachment bolt. He noted that the attachment hole was "slightly elongated." The FAA inspector reported that the nut was not found attached to the landing gear attach bolt, but at the bottom of the airplane. The airplane was recovered from the accident site by Aircraft Recovery Services, Compton, California, and interviews were conducted with the retrieval crew. According to their statements, the runway was a dirt surface that did not have ruts, potholes, or other defects. While working on recovery, the crew examined portions of the runway and did not observe any unusual tracks or markings on the surface until just before the resting point of the airplane. According to a Cessna representative, the landing gear is visually inspected annually or the 100-hour inspection. The inspection includes checking for cracks, metal distortion, loose or missing rivets, screws, and bolts and evidence of excessive loads. (See appended file). Federal Aviation Regulation Part 43(e) states that at the annual or 100-hour inspection; linkages, trusses and members will be inspected for undue or excessive wear fatigue and distortion. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4803E](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4803E), registered now, S/N 18052033 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 180H - Registry model: [Cessna 180H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180h) (registry code 2072618) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18052033 - Airframe hours: 10366 - Engines: Continental O-470-R13 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James B. & Nancy Mcsheehy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 24, 1997, 165 hours before - Departed: SEE, GILLESPIE, CA - Destination: L90 - Airport: L90, Ocotillo, runway 13, 4,210 × 150 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; airline transport, flight engineer, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 19,425 total, 1,220 in this make and model, 15,000 as pilot in command, 210 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 130° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PSP, 90 nm away ## 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 19980628021629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980628021629A), Jun 28, 1998: Cessna 180H, Ocotillo Wells, CA, Substantial damage. Ground looped after landing on a dirt strip. (.4)an intermediate stop was made at another airport to pickup a passenger before continuing on to the accident… 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.