Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlottesville, Virginia 22901
Tuesady, June 10, 1997 11:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The two pilots aboard were both certified flight instructors. The purpose of the flight was for one of the two pilots to renew the others tailwheel currency. During the landing left main gear collapsed. The instructing pilot performed the landing. He stated 'I landed the aircraft three point and let the aircraft decelerate in a ground roll of 1,000 feet. With approximately 3,000 feet of runway remaining the [other pilot] asked if I wanted some brakes, I said 'just a little bit.' We were traveling below 20 knots by now. The right seat was not equipped with brakes. After I responded...I felt the aircraft swing 180 degrees right, rapidly. The left wheel broke off, and the tube collapsed. The aircraft came to rest on the left wing, right main and tail wheel. The propeller striking the runway stopped the engine.' Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear had 'heavy corrosion (rust) where the strut joined the axle,' which was at the point of separation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The left main landing gear collapsed due to corrosion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLOTTESVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22901
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHARLOTTESVILLE-ALBEMARLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CHO
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 641
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1147 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CHO
Elevation of weather observation facility 641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1916
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 11 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:21PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1750K
NTSB Number NYC97LA112
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Luscombe
Aircraft Model LL-8-E
Aircraft Series Identifier LL-8-E
Aircraft Serial Number 4477
Certified Max Gross Weight 1400
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JONATHAN M BARON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1416 RICKY RD
Aircraft Owner City CHARLOTTESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ANDREW E. GUTHROW
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 231 COLONNADE DR. APT. 11
Operator City CHARLOTTESVILLE
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22903
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CHO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 3
Runway Length 6001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --