Piper PA-18-150 N5760D

Summary

On 8 October 2004 at about 01:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N5760D was involved in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska, 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

8 October 2004 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Merrill Field (PAMR)

Coordinates

61.1869, -149.9653

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N5760D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kenai → Anchorage

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC05LA001

Nobody was injured.

The inadequate and unapproved design of the main landing gear assembly by the manufacturer, which resulted in a failure of the main landing gear during landing, and structural damage to the airplane. A factor in the accident was the pilot's misjudged flare.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported he made a hard landing on a paved runway in his tail wheel and tundra tire equipped airplane, and that the left main landing gear assembly subsequently collapsed. The airplane sustained structural damage to the left wing when it struck the runway. An inspection of the main landing gear (MLG) assembly by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and FAA certification engineers, disclosed that the MLG was not an approved component, although it had been stamped "PMA" for Primary Manufacturing Authority, indicating it was an approved part. Further research and analysis of the gear assembly revealed that it had fractured at the shock strut attachment lugs, and that the lugs were approximately one-half strength of the original factory equipment. The MLG assembly has been available for several years, and may be retro-fitted to the entire Piper Cub series airplanes. The FAA aircraft certification branch and the manufacturer are presently conducting a review of the design and have indicated that a manufacturer's Service Bulletin will be published offering a strengthened version of the MLG, and that the FAA will issue either a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin, or an Airworthiness Directive.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.