Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skwentna, Alaska 99667
Thursday, September 25, 2003 14:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial certificated pilot was landing on a remote gravel area that was about 1,000 feet long, and 30 feet wide. The pilot said that during the landing roll, the airplane's right main landing gear suddenly collapsed. As the airplane slid on the gravel, the right gear strut was torn out of the fuselage, and the airplane received additional damage to the fuselage and right wing. After the accident, the pilot said he examined the right gear strut and discovered the right axle and wheel assembly were missing from the outboard end of the gear strut. After a search, the pilot located the wheel assembly and discovered that the nuts utilized to secure the attaching axle bolts to the gear strut, were stripped from their respective bolts. The pilot said he decided to wait until the next day before activating his airplane's emergency locator transmitter. He further said he decided to destroy his airplane by setting it on fire, as it would have been economically unfeasible to pay for repairs and helicopter transportation charges to remove the airplane from its remote location. The airplane was observed by search personnel as having burned.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An overload failure of the axle retaining nut/bolt assembly, which resulted in the separation of the axle/wheel assembly, and subsequent collapse of the right main landing gear strut during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone --
Event City Skwentna
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99667
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 615536N
Event Location Longitude 1531048W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15265
NTSB Notification Source FAA REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Sep 26 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1625
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2004 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9006A
NTSB Number ANC03LA126
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 170A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18761
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 30 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 3400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Steven D. Lewis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dillingham
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99576
Operator is an individual? No
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 None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City SKWENTNA
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 1 2004 11:57AM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --