Kissimee Gateway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kissimmee, Florida 34741
Tuesady, November 8, 2011 18:50 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was not able to obtain a positive gear down-and-locked indication and noticed that the right main landing gear (MLG) only extended about halfway down. After unsuccessful troubleshooting efforts, he performed an emergency gear-up landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. Examination of the landing gear system revealed that the stub shaft of the right MLG pivot assembly was fractured and exhibited characteristics consistent with a torsional fatigue fracture containing multiple origins. Before the accident flight, a company mechanic observed some hydraulic fluid on the MLG leg and assumed that there was a leak from the pivot gear O-rings, which he replaced. The Federal Aviation Administration previously issued an airworthiness directive (AD), which included an inspection of MLG pivot assemblies for cracks, in accordance with a manufacturer's service bulletin. The AD did not call for repetitive inspections. At the time of the accident, the airplane had been operated for about 7,755 total hours and about 1,800 hours since the time of AD compliance. The airplane service manual contained a supplemental inspection that included initial visual and eddy current inspections of the MLG pivot assembly for cracks in the spline area at 3,000 hours in service with repeated inspections every 500 hours thereafter. The visual and eddy current inspections had not been nor were they required to be performed on the accident airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A fatigue failure of the right main landing gear pivot assembly, which prevented the landing gear from extending.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Kissimmee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34741
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 281723N
Event Location Longitude 0812613W
Event Location Airport Kissimee Gateway
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ISM
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 82
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1845 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ISM
Elevation of weather observation facility 82
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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) 31128
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern CROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2013 2:27PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5095V
NTSB Number ERA12LA070
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0445
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 7755
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name SUN STATE AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3008 W PATRICK ST
Aircraft Owner City KISSIMMEE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34741
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name SUN STATE AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3008 W PATRICK ST
Operator City KISSIMMEE
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 34741
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 ISM
Departure City Kissimmee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ISM
Destination City Kissimmee
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 20 2013 2:27PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 6001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --