Homer Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Homer, Alaska 99603
Sunday, July 5, 1998 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certificated commercial pilot was landing on runway 21, a paved runway, in a tailwheel equipped airplane. The pilot stated that after rollout she made a left turn to exit the runway, and the right main landing gear leg separated at the wheel attachment bolt holes. The right wing struck the ground and sustained minor damage. Metallurgical examination of the failed gear leg revealed multiple fatigue cracks originating from various corrosion pits located within the bolt holes. The operator noted that the airplane had been involved in a previous ground loop accident, and that the airplane had been used extensively for off airport landings utilizing wheel/skis. The failed gear leg had been inspected using a dye-penetrant process about 300 flight hours prior to the gear leg failure. Presently, there are no Cessna or FAA specified inspection intervals for this component. Landing gear legs are replaced 'on condition.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the right main landing gear leg due to corrosion pitting and fatigue.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 7/5/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City HOMER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99603
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HOMER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HOM
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 78
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 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5011
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 5 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3347L
NTSB Number ANC98IA096
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number 1851275
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 8354
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SMOKEY BAY AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 457
Aircraft Owner City HOMER
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99603
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 X53A
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 Non-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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SOV
Departure City SELDOVIA
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1345
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 6700
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --