Pilot Debrief

HELIO H-250 near Anchorage, AK — 2016-09-26

Final reportANC16LA072
Sign in to save
Date
2016-09-26
Location
Anchorage, AK, USA
Airport
LHD
Aircraft
HELIO H-250
Registration
N6324V
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The fatigue fracture failure of both main landing gear (MLG) legs during the landing roll, which resulted in the collapse and separation of both MLG legs.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported that, after an uneventful touchdown on the dry, gravel-surface runway, he felt a medium vibration as he applied the brakes. As the airplane continued the landing roll, both main landing gear (MLG) legs sheared off. The propeller impacted the runway, and the airplane came to rest on the bottom of the fuselage, which sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both MLG legs failed due to fatigue cracking. The fatigue cracks were extended by intermittent overstress until the legs separated. The overstress extensions likely occurred during the accident landing or immediately before it because there was no corrosion of the crack surfaces.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Inspection of main landing gear prior to flight could have prevented failure.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents4

Related mishaps