- Date
- July 2, 1997, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Altha, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N10273Grumman G-164
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 2, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970702016659A
- Case key
- 38304
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 left main landing gear spring due to a preexisting fatigue crack resulting in the separation of the left main landing gear, and subsequent nose down during taxi.
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 stated he was taxing out for takeoff when the left main landing gear separated. The airplane came to rest on the nose and the left wing. Fuel started leaking from the fuel tank, and the airplane was consumed by a post crash fire. Examination of the left main landing gear spring revealed the landing gear failed due to a preexisting fatigue crack.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 1997, about 0830 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164, N10273, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight, experienced a failure of the left main landing gear on taxi and nosed down on the ground. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was consumed by a postcrash fire. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he was taxing out to conduct an engine run-up before departing on a positioning flight to pick up a load of chemical before departing on an aerial application flight. As he started to turn around the left main gear separated. The airplane came to rest on the nose and left wing. Fuel started leaking out of the fuel tank and the airplane was consumed by fire.
A portion of the left main landing gear spring was forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for analysis. A fracture was located about 2 to 3 inches inboard of the fuselage skin. A visual magnified examination of the fracture revealed a small preexisting fatigue crack emanating from the lower surface of the spring about 3.5 inches from the leading edge. Closer examination established that the fatigue area was made up of four fatigue cracks, two of the larger had joined to form a single front. See Metallurgist's Factual Report No. 97-134.
The left main landing gear spring was released to Mr. Donald T. Johnson, on August 18 , 1997, and signed for by A. Golden, on August 20, 1997.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10273
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 073
- Airframe hours
- 11,000
- Engine
- P&W R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Donald T. Johnson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 2, 1996 · 200 hours before
- Departed
- N/A
- Destination
- N/A · Campbellton, FL
- Airport
- runway 36, 2,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 59
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 4,000 in this make and model · 8,500 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MAI, 34 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.
Other investigations on N10273 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.