Allegheny County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15122
Monday, February 16, 2004 14:26 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Prior to a landing, the left main landing gear would not extend into a down and locked position. The pilot, who was also the airplane's owner and mechanic, landed with the right main and nose landing gear in the down and locked position, and the left main landing gear "hanging." Upon landing, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid off the left side of the runway. A post-accident examination revealed that the left main landing gear saddle was fractured. The landing gear saddle was the subject of an Airworthiness Directive that first required its replacement, and after 1,200 hours of service on the new part, annual dye-penetrant inspections. A review of the airframe logbook revealed that the saddle was replaced, and that annual inspections should have begun in 1986; however, there were no records that they had ever been performed. Laboratory examination of the saddle fracture revealed features consistent with fatigue, and there was a lack of dye penetrant on the part.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The owner/pilot-mechanic's failure to comply with an airworthiness directive, which resulted in a fatigue fracture to the left main landing gear saddle.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/16/2004
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1426
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Pittsburgh
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15122
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 402115N
Event Location Longitude 0795548W
Event Location Airport Allegheny County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AGC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1252
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID AGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1252
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.44
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17173
NTSB Notification Source Allegheny FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Feb 19 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2005 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allegheny FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4974U
NTSB Number IAD04LA011
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 210E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21058674
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 26 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 93
Airframe Hours 4458
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ralph Hoesch
Aircraft Owner Street Address 57 W Bruceton Road
Aircraft Owner City Pittsburgh
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15236
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 No
Departure Airport Code WAY
Departure City Waynesburg
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code AGC
Destination City Pittsburgh
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3825
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --