Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lewiston, Idaho 83501
Monday, January 30, 2006 11:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, upon touchdown, the left landing gear leg "started to fail" as the airplane's weight came onto the wheels. The left gear folded outward, and the airplane veered to the left. The airplane's left wing tip contacted an embankment, and the airplane came to a stop. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that there was structural damage to the left gear box, left wing strut, left wing tip, left aileron, the rear spar of the left wing, and the propeller. The inspector found that the 7/16-inch AN bolt that held the left gear leg to the fuselage failed in shear loading. Failure of the bolt allowed the gear to pivot on the landing gear box leading to failure of the lower landing gear box web.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the left main landing gear attaching bolt, which resulted in the left main gear collapsing during the landing roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/30/2006
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Lewiston
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83501
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 460003N
Event Location Longitude 1164132W
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 --
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 --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19696
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2006 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2303Y
NTSB Number SEA06CA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model A185E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 185-01868
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bentz Fence Company Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Clinton R. Bentz
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lewiston
Operator State ID
Operator Country USA
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LWS
Departure City Lewiston
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Lewiston
Destination State ID
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 27 2006 12:23PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location UNK
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --