# NTSB SEA07CA032: Riley D-16A, N119N, Point Roberts, WA, December 1, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 1, 2006, 14:15 local (22:15 UTC) - Place: Point Roberts, WA - Coordinates: 48.979721, -123.078887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.9797&lon=-123.0789&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 26, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 65000 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA07CA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65000/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA07CA032 ## Probable cause the pre-existing crack in the nose wheel fork, which allowed separation of the nose wheel during the takeoff roll, resulting in collapse of the nose landing gear. ## Analysis According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll at about rotation speed, he felt the nose landing gear of the airplane "give way" and the airplane began to drift to the left. As he applied right rudder to correct the yaw, he felt "a continued collapse" of the nose landing gear and elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane's nose and both propellers struck the ground. Examination of photos provided by an insurance adjustor revealed that both engines were displaced down and to the right. The right engine firewall was torn from the engine nacelle, and the left engine firewall was buckled and distorted. Additionally, the photos revealed that the nose landing gear fork had broken into two pieces, which allowed the nose wheel to separate from the airplane, resulting in collapse of the nose landing gear. The pilot reported that "an aircraft structural engineer made the observation that my nose gear fork had an old hidden crack that could have contributed to the failure." ## Factual narrative On December 1, 2006, about 1415 Pacific standard time, a Riley D-16A twin-engine airplane, N119N, sustained substantial damage when the nose landing gear collapsed during takeoff roll on runway 16 at Point Roberts Airpark, Point Roberts, Washington. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating when the accident occurred. According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll at about rotation speed, he felt the nose landing gear of the airplane "give way" and the airplane began to drift to the left. As he applied right rudder to correct the yaw, he felt "a continued collapse" of the nose landing gear and elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane's nose and both propellers struck the ground. Examination of photos provided by an insurance adjustor revealed that both engines were displaced down and to the right. The right engine firewall was torn from the engine nacelle, and the left engine firewall was buckled and distorted. Additionally, the photos revealed that the nose landing gear fork had broken into two pieces, which allowed the nose wheel to separate from the airplane, resulting in collapse of the nose landing gear. The pilot reported that "an aircraft structural engineer made the observation that my nose gear fork had an old hidden crack that could have contributed to the failure." ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, takeoff - roll/run - landing gear,nose gear - cracked (cause) - landing gear,wheel - separation (cause) - Nose gear collapsed, takeoff - roll/run ## Aircraft - Registration: [N119N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N119N), registered now, S/N TTN-51 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Riley D-16A - Registry model: [Riley D-16A](https://openairdocs.org/model/riley-d-16a) (registry code 9230612) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-340-series) (registry code 41510, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TTN-51 - Engines: Lycoming O-340 reciprocating; Lycoming O-340 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Jesse H. Lofquist - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: 1RL, Point Roberts, WA - Destination: 1RL - Airport: 1RL, Point Roberts Airpark, runway 16 ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; private, foreign; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3; flight hours: 947 total, 79 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20061201029229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061201029229A), Dec 1, 2006: Multec D16A, Point Roberts, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated he was on takeoff roll, just at rotation speed, the nose suddenly veered left and the nose began to "sink." Right rudder was no longer able… 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.