Chino Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chino, California 91710
Friday, December 10, 2010 15:58 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The certified flight instructor and student pilot had just performed a soft-field landing. During the subsequent rollout, they noted that the airplane was not taxiing as expected. As the airplane exited the runway, it dropped onto its left wing and spun to the left. Examination of the left main landing gear revealed that the upper torque-link attachment lugs had detached from the landing gear strut, causing separation of the wheel assembly and subsequent substantial damage to the left wing. Further metallurgical examination of the strut revealed evidence of preexisting fatigue cracks to the upper torque-link attachment lugs. The airplane manufacturer issued a Service Bulletin about 8 years prior to the accident requiring inspection of the lugs in the area of failure. No evidence was found suggesting that the Service Bulletin had been complied with.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Fatigue cracking of the upper torque-link attach lugs on the left main landing gear strut, which resulted in separation of the left main landing gear during taxi.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/10/2010
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1558
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Chino
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91710
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335829N
Event Location Longitude 1173811W
Event Location Airport Chino
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CNO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 650
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID CNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 650
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 16000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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) 28161
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 24 2011 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record andj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5800U
NTSB Number WPR11LA074
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-23502
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 20 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 7350
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name DUBOIS AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7000 MERRILL AVE STE 39
Aircraft Owner City CHINO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91710-9087
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name DUBOIS AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 7000 MERRILL AVE STE 39
Operator City CHINO
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91710-9087
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CNO
Departure City Chino
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CNO
Destination City Chino
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2011 6:19PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --