Summary
On May 29, 1993, a Cessna 185 (N80124) was involved in an incident near Bulchitna Lake, AK. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: THE FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR LEG DUE TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE CAUSED BY CORROSION.
On May 28, 1993, at 1715 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N80124, registered to and operated by the Pilot-in-Command, experienced a hard landing and subsequant landing gear failure at Sigley's private Airstrip located near Bulchitna Lake, Alaska. The business flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, last departed Kenai, Alaska, and the destination was the accident site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the Commercially Certificated Pilot-in-Command and the two passengers were not injured.
According to the Pilot-in-Command, he experienced a moderate hard landing and the right main gear broke away at the wheel axle upper bolt holes.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC93LA071. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N80124.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR LEG DUE TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE CAUSED BY CORROSION.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On May 28, 1993, at 1715 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N80124, registered to and operated by the Pilot-in-Command, experienced a hard landing and subsequant landing gear failure at Sigley's private Airstrip located near Bulchitna Lake, Alaska. The business flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, last departed Kenai, Alaska, and the destination was the accident site. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the Commercially Certificated Pilot-in-Command and the two passengers were not injured.
According to the Pilot-in-Command, he experienced a moderate hard landing and the right main gear broke away at the wheel axle upper bolt holes. The airplane settled onto the remaining gear leg, veered right, and nosed over.
Metallurigical examination of the fractured gear leg showed that the separation of the landing gear leg stemmed from areas of fatigue cracking that initiated from corrosion pitting in the bolt holes and exterior surfaces of the lower portion of the leg.
Further, the metallurgist stated that the gear leg was composed of high strength steel, a material that is susceptible to fracture in the presence of relatively small defects.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC93LA071