Cincinnati International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Covington, Kentucky 41011
Wednesday, November 20, 1996 10:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While taxiing for takeoff, the right main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the barrel lugs (used to attach the swinging lever to the main landing gear barrel) had failed. The fracture of the outboard lower lug exhibited a fatigue crack emanating from corrosion pits in the bore of the lug. The bushings for the lower lugs (replaced during overhaul) did not have the proper interference fit. During overhaul, the bushings did not have the proper applications of corrosion preventatives applied to the surface of the bushings as specified by the manufacturer's procedures. During the course of the investigation, nine landing gears with various numbers of total cycles since overhaul or manufacture were inspected. The inspections revealed torn or missing rubber sealant used on bushing flanges, corrosion in the lug bores, and corrosion on the lug faces.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper use of procedures by maintenance personnel at an overhaul facility during overhaul of the landing gear, allowing corrosion to occur on the barrel lugs of the landing gear, which subsequently led to fatigue cracking of the lugs and eventual collapse of the gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 11/20/1996
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City COVINGTON
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41011
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CINCINNATI INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CVG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 897
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 44
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5035
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 20 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N47AE
NTSB Number CHI97IA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name ATR
Aircraft Model 42
Aircraft Series Identifier 42
Aircraft Serial Number 047
Certified Max Gross Weight 36870
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 50
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 151
Airframe Hours 19587
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SIMMONS AIRLINES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1700 WEST 20TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City DFW AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CVG
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORD
Destination City CHICAGO
Destination State IL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --