Cessna 180H N4803E

Summary

On 29 June 1998 at about 02:15 local time, a Cessna 180H registered N4803E was involved in an accident near Ocotillo Wells, California, United States. 2 people were 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

29 June 1998 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Ocotillo Wells, California, United States

Nearest airport

Ocotillo (L90)

Coordinates

32.7195, -115.8804

Aircraft

Cessna 180H

Registration

N4803E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gillespie → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX98LA216

Nobody was injured.

Failure of the left main landing gear due to a probable hard landing at an undetermined time.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

An intermediate stop was made at another airport to pickup a passenger before continuing on to the accident airport. No discrepancies were noted with the landing at the intermediate stopover. On touchdown at the accident airport, both the pilot and passenger heard a snap sound, followed shortly by the left main landing gear turning under the fuselage and departing the aircraft. Both the pilot and passenger stated that the landing was normal. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the failed landing gear attach bolt was distorted, with the threads on the bolt and the associated nut stripped. The examination further revealed that the landing gear attachment hole was elongated. Examination of the dirt runway surface revealed no ruts, potholes, or other defects. No unusual tracks or markings were found on the surface until just before the resting point of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.