Cessna 180A N9759B

Summary

On 26 April 2003 at about 18:45 local time, a Cessna 180A registered N9759B was involved in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 April 2003 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Scottsdale (SDL)

Coordinates

33.6228, -111.9106

Aircraft

Cessna 180A

Registration

N9759B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Scottsdale → Scottsdale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA143

Nobody was injured.

The failure of a main landing gear axle bolt, and the subsequent separation of the right main landing gear wheel from the gear strut during the landing roll, which resulted in a collapse of the right main landing gear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The tailwheel equipped airplane had a gear failure while attempting a wheel landing. After a normal touchdown, the airplane lurched to the left and the right main landing gear wheel departed the airplane. The right main landing gear strut folded under the fuselage and the right wing tip contacted the runway surface. The airplane came to rest on its right side. The pilot thought that an "abrupt left brake grab" placed a side load on the right gear, which resulted in the failure of the right main landing gear wheel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintenance inspector stated that the forward, upper bolt connecting the axle to the backing plate had sheered off. The other three bolts had twisted off, separating the wheel from the airplane, which he believed occurred after the initial bolt had failed. He thought it was possible that the bolts installed were the original bolts that the airplane was outfitted with in 1957. He believed there was a significant possibility that the sheered bolt had failed due to its age and extended use.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.