Pilot Debrief

COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P92 ECHO SUPER near Baytown, TX — 2010-03-07

Final reportCEN10LA207
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Date
2010-03-07
Location
Baytown, TX, USA
Airport
54T
Aircraft
COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P92 ECHO SUPER
Registration
N323BR
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The failure of the landing gear bolts.

NTSB narrative

The certificated flight instructor and student pilot planned on performing a full-stop landing on the runway. After making a normal touchdown, and as the airplane slowed down, the right-main gear collapsed. The right wing impacted the runway and the light-sport airplane sustained structural damage. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the three bolts attaching the right-main landing gear had failed. The bolts were sent to the Safety Board Materials Laboratory for examination. The examination noted that the two outboard bolts both had crack arrest markings, consistent with fatigue cracking from multiple origins. The third bolt (inboard) had signatures of necking and bending of the grip diameter and fracture characteristics consistent with an overstress separation. Prior to the accident, the airplane manufacturer had issued two service bulletins to address concerns with the proper torque on the landing gear bolts and replacement of the bolts. A review of the accident airplane maintenance records showed that the proper torque inspection service bulletin had been complied with; however, the replacement of the landing gear bolts with stronger bolts (service bulletin) was not applicable to this light-sport airplane.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Inspection of landing gear bolts as per service bulletin was not performed.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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