Warrenton Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Warrenton, Virginia 20187
Thursday, June 23, 2011 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, as he taxied the airplane to the runway for takeoff, the left main landing gear collapsed. Examination revealed that the left main landing gear had fractured and completely separated from the airplane about 6 inches outboard of its attachment point at the airframe. Examination of the fracture surface on the section of landing gear leg that remained attached to the airframe revealed features consistent with fatigue failure. Examination of the underside of the landing gear leg in an area directly adjacent to the fatigue zone revealed multiple corrosion pits. The manufacturer's maintenance guidance called for visual inspection of the landing gear every 100 hours, and the maintenance manual included information specific to corrosion control on the landing gear legs.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The fatigue failure of the left main landing gear due to inadequate maintenance inspection that did not detect and correct corrosion pitting.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/2011
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Warrenton
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20187
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 383910N
Event Location Longitude 0774708W
Event Location Airport Warrenton Air Park
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7VG0
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 442
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1135 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID HWY
Elevation of weather observation facility 336
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.8
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30147
NTSB Notification Source FAA Eastern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2012 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3152U
NTSB Number ERA11LA357
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 182F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18254552
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 16 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4839
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name AIVCON INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CHARLEVOIX
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49720
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name AIVCON INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City CHARLEVOIX
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 49720
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) Skydiving
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7VG0
Departure City Warrenton
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 7VG0
Destination City Warrenton
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2012 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2215
Runway Width 70
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --