Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 185 near Nome, AK — 2015-04-23

Final reportANC15LA023
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Date
2015-04-23
Location
Nome, AK, USA
Airport
94Z
Aircraft
CESSNA 185
Registration
N4554F
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The failure of the left main landing gear leg for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the wheel/ski-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that, just as the airplane became airborne, he heard a "loud bang" and that he then noticed that the left wheel/ski assembly had rotated up and near the left window. The pilot then chose to return to the departure runway for an emergency landing, and he crabbed the airplane into the wind to hold the wheel/ski assembly close to the airplane during the return flight back to the airport. During touchdown, as the airplane settled onto the runway, the left main landing gear leg contacted the ground and collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear leg assembly fractured near the axle through bolts. The fractured gear leg and maintenance records were not made available for examination; therefore, the reason for the failure of the left main landing gear leg could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after hearing the loud bang.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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