Pilot Debrief

Titan TORNADO II near Windom, MN — 2023-02-18

Final reportCEN23LA110
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Date
2023-02-18
Location
Windom, MN, USA
Aircraft
Titan TORNADO II
Registration
N9168P
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The fatigue failure of the right landing gear leg that resulted in its separation from the airplane during takeoff.

NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that while taking off on a frozen lake with hard-packed snow, the right main landing gear separated from the airplane. He continued the takeoff and landed the airplane without further incident on a snow-covered lake near his home. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer due to impact from the right main landing gear. A metallurgical examination of the right main landing gear leg assembly revealed that bilateral fatigue cracks originated from the inner wall of a cross-drilled hole near the right gear leg socket. Eventually, overload and bending stresses in the direction of the fatigue cracks resulted in the right gear leg separating. It was unclear why the hole was drilled. There is an identical hole in the same spot on the left landing gear leg.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have inspected landing gear for fatigue before takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents3

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