Montgomery Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Diego, California 92123
Wednesday, November 12, 1997 11:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and his instructor visually checked that the landing gear was down. On the landing roll the aircraft started to vibrate, and then rotated to the left. The instructor pilot shut down the engine and the right landing gear collapsed. The main gear actuator piston for the left main landing gear was found broken. A determination as to when the actuator piston was broken could not be made due to the extent of the damage. An examination of the aircraft logbook revealed that the main landing gear actuator piston had accumulated 1,530.2 hours since installation. The aircraft was examined on-scene with no further anomalies noted. An examination found beach marks on the fracture surface characteristic of a fatigue crack growth. The examination revealed that the fracture outside of the fatigue region was the result of a single event overload and not due to the fatigue crack.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Overload of the main gear actuator piston and the subsequent collapse of the landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/12/1997
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN DIEGO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92123
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MONTGOMERY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MYF
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 423
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1247 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MYF
Elevation of weather observation facility 423
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1621
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 12 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1325
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9451D
NTSB Number LAX98LA036
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 172RG
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG1167
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 6 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 11826
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATE OF TEXAS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16151 ADDISON RD.
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75248
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMERICAN FLYERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3753 JOHN J. MONTGOMERY DR.
Operator City SAN DIEGO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92123
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 MYF
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code MYF
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 28L
Runway Length 3399
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --