- Date
- March 12, 2005, 17:30 local (Mar 13, 2005, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Graham, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5509MMaule M-7-235C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Seattle, Washington
- FAA report
- 20050312004079A
- Case key
- 61190
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 gear due to separation of the attachment hardware.
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 that the airplane developed engine problems during the cross-country flight and he elected to make a precautionary landing to a private airstrip. He reported that the landing touchdown was normal, but during the rollout he heard a "loud pop sound from under the seat" 4-5 seconds before the right main gear collapsed. Post accident examination of the airplane’s landing gear, by representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the operator, revealed that the center gear attach bolt and corresponding locking nut for the right main landing gear leg was missing. The bolt was later recovered, however, the locking nut was not found. The bolt was intact and nominal wear was noted. There was no evidence of thread failure or significant mechanical damage. The operator reported that the absence of the nut and bolt allowed the landing gear leg to separate from its corresponding attach assembly. It was not determined why the missing nut separated from the bolt and landing gear assembly.
Factual narrative
On March 12, 2005, about 1730 Pacific standard time, a Maule M-7-235C, N5509M, sustained substantial damage to the wing assembly following a main gear collapse during landing near Graham, Washington. The airplane is owned by the pilot, and was being was being operated as a cross-county flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Deer Park, Washington, with a planned destination of Vashon Island, Washington.
During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on March 22, the pilot reported that the airplane developed engine problems during the cross-country flight and he elected to make a precautionary landing to a private airstrip near Graham, Washington. The pilot stated the landing touchdown was normal, but during the rollout he heard a "loud pop sound from under the seat" 4-5 seconds before the right main gear collapsed.
Post accident examination of the airplane’s landing gear, by representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the operator, revealed that the center gear attach bolt and corresponding locking nut for the right main landing gear leg was missing. The bolt was later recovered, however, the locking nut was not found. The bolt was intact and nominal wear was noted. There was no evidence of thread failure or significant mechanical damage.
The operator reported that the absence of the nut and bolt allowed the landing gear leg to separate from its corresponding attach assembly.
It was not determined why the missing nut separated from the bolt and landing gear assembly.
The operator provided no information as to the cause of the rough running engine.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5509M
- Reported as
- Maule M-7-235C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25074C
- Airframe hours
- 794.2
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George P. Kirkish
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2004 · 84.9 hours before
- Departed
- 07S · Deer Park, WA
- Destination
- Graham, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,367 total · 900 in this make and model · 12,307 as pilot in command · 150 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.