# NTSB WPR09LA290: Bellanca 14-19, N6561N, Columbia, CA, June 11, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 11, 2009, 12:22 local (19:22 UTC) - Place: Columbia, CA - Coordinates: 38.030277, -120.414443 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0303&lon=-120.4144&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 22, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 74059 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA290 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74059/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74059 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA290 ## Probable cause The failure of the left main landing gear drag link as a result of overstress fracture. Contributing to the accident was maintenance personnel's failure to detect a small crack in the left main landing gear drag link during the most recent annual inspection. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=3080102), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Maintenance: scheduled/routine maintenance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md?model=3080102), [All aircraft, 320 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=3080102), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Bellanca 14-19, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=3080102), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that after a normal touchdown on runway 17, the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake, which had no effect. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane continued to the left and exited the runway onto a grassy area. There was structural damage to the left wing, aileron, and flap. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear drag link had separated at the junction of the upper and lower drag links, and the landing gear strut had folded forward. The drag link appeared to be the original part installed during manufacture of the airplane in 1950. Examination of the separation surfaces on the drag link revealed that the drag link fractured due to overstress. Most of the fracture surface appeared to be newly created indicating the majority of the overstress fracture occurred at the time of the landing. However, well-developed corrosion-product film was identified on a small portion of the fracture surface indicating this portion of the overstress fracture had occurred at an earlier time. The pilot reported that the landing gear was most recently inspected during the annual inspection about 1 month before the accident with no discrepancies noted. A small crack (corresponding to the corroded portion of the fracture surface) was likely present on the drag link at the time of this inspection, but it was not discovered. ## Factual narrative On June 11, 2009, about 1222 Pacific daylight time, a Bellanca 14-19 airplane, N6561N, sustained substantial damage when the left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown at the Columbia Airport, Columbia, California. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal cross-country flight that departed from Jean, Nevada, at 1010. As the flight approached Columbia Airport, the pilot listened to the airport's automated weather observing system, and according to the pilot, the wind was reported as light and variable. Before landing on runway 17, the pilot confirmed the wind conditions by observing the airport's windsock and tetrahedron. After what the pilot described as a normal "three point landing, aligned with the runway without lateral drift, slightly left of centerline," the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and right brake with no discernible effect. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and came to a stop in a grassy area. Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed structural damage to the left wing, aileron, and flap. The left main landing gear drag link had separated at the junction of the upper and lower drag links, and the landing gear strut had folded forward. The drag link appeared to be the original part installed during manufacture of the airplane in 1950. The separated pieces of the left main landing gear drag link were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for examination. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed that a portion of surface was dark in color and covered with a well-developed corrosion-product film consistent with an older overstress fracture that occurred prior to the accident. The majority of the fracture surfaces did not display corrosion product and were consistent in appearance with newly created overstress fractures. The pilot reported that a visual inspection of the landing gear and a gear retraction test were performed during the airplane's most recent annual inspection on May 10, 2009. No discrepancies were found. When the accident occurred, the airplane had accumulated 41 flight hours since this annual inspection. Recorded data from Columbia Airport's automated weather observing system indicated that at 1222, the wind was from 200 degrees at 5 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6561N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6561N-2015-02-20), registration cancelled 2015-02-20, S/N 2014, built 1950 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 14-19 - Registry model: [Bellanca 14-19](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-14-19) (registry code 3080102) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-435A/0-435C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-435a-0-435c) (registry code 41517, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2014 - Airframe hours: 2761 - Engines: Lycoming O-435 190 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 10, 2009, 27 hours before - Departed: 0L7, Jean, NV - Destination: O22, Columbia, CA - Airport: O22, Columbia Airport, runway 17, 4,670 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 10, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 540 total, 110 in this make and model, 420 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: O22 ## 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 20090611014459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090611014459A), Jun 11, 2009: Blanca 1419, Columbia, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot reported that on landing touchdown (runway 17 at O22) with a light wind from the right the aircraft was aligned with the center line and at proper… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 22, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74059. 1.9 MB in all. - Materials Laboratory Factual 09-084 Bellanca drag link bracket fracture (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40322152&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%2009-084%20Bellanca%20drag%20link%20bracket%20fracture-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 508 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323218&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Report (item 3, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323219&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 4, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323220&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF 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.