# NTSB WPR09LA297: Bellanca 17-31ATC, N14797, Roosevelt, UT, June 19, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 18, 2009, 21:15 local (Jun 19, 2009, 03:15 UTC) - Place: Roosevelt, UT - Coordinates: 40.278331, -110.051391 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2783&lon=-110.0514&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 15, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 74083 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA297 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74083/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74083 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA297 ## Probable cause The retraction of the left main landing gear due to the failure of the extension and retraction actuator arm attach bolt. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel to discover the extensive elongation of the actuator attach fitting bolt hole during past annual inspections. ## 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 · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-31ATC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1220437), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Inadequate inspection (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-31ATC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=1220437), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Inspection: scheduled/routine inspection](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-31ATC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520/cases.md?model=1220437), [All aircraft, 167 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-31ATC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=1220437), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-31ATC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1220437), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094) (defining event); cases with it: [Bellanca 17-31ATC, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=1220437), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis During the landing roll, the bolt holding the left main landing gear hydraulic extension and retraction actuator to the gear support structure failed, which allowed the left main landing gear leg to retract. Further inspection determined that over time the bolt hole on the support structure had elongated to about twice its original size. This condition would have been very difficult to detect on a preflight inspection; however, it should have been detected during previous annual inspections. ## Factual narrative On June 18, 2009, about 2115 mountain daylight time, a Bellanca 17-31ATC, N14797, experienced a collapse of the left main landing gear during the landing roll at Roosevelt Municipal Airport, Roosevelt, Utah. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the airplane, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Roosevelt Municipal Airport about 15 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. According to the pilot, this was a brief local flight to check the operation of the turbocharger, which had just come out of maintenance. After the flight around the local area, the pilot returned to the airport for a full stop landing. Reportedly, he made a normal flare and touchdown, and the first 1,000 feet of the landing roll was uneventful. The left main landing gear green DOWN light went out, and the red landing gear TRANSITION warning light came on, and the left main gear retracted. After the gear retracted, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, and collided with rough terrain. This sequence resulted in damage to the left wing, and bending of the fuselage structure. A post- accident inspection of the left landing gear extension and retraction system by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector determined that the bolt connecting the hydraulic gear actuator rod to the gear leg support had failed. Further inspection revealed that over a period of time the bolt hole in the gear leg support had worn to a point where it had become elongated to about twice its original size (see photo in the public docket for this accident). According to the FAA inspector, the elongation of the hole, and the looseness it would have created, should have been detected during at least the last couple of annual inspections. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N14797](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N14797-2018-01-02), registration cancelled 2018-01-02, S/N 74-31078, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELLANCA 17-31ATC - Registry model: [Bellanca 17-31ATC](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-17-31atc) (registry code 1220437) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 74-31078 - Airframe hours: 2693 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gregory G. Page DDS - Registered owner: Gregory G. Page DDS - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 30, 2009 - Departed: 74V, Roosevelt, UT - Destination: 74V, Roosevelt, UT - Airport: 74V, Roosevelt Municipal, runway 07, 6,500 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 18, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 1,717 total, 700 in this make and model, 1,602 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20090618009069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090618009069A), Jun 18, 2009: Blanca 1731ATC, Roosevelt, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Post maintenance operational check flight. After landing at Roosevelt, UT. (74V) during rollout about 1000 feet left main landing gear collapsed. Green… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 13, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74083. 1.1 MB in all. - Record of Conversation (item 1, .PDF, 30 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319266&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 679 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319267&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Image 1. Elongated left landing gear actuator attach fitting bolt hole. (item 3, .PDF, 394 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40319268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Image%201.%20Elongated%20left%20landing%20gear%20actuator%20attach%20fitting%20bolt%20hole.-Master.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.