Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rupert, Georgia 31081
Sunday, February 24, 2013 16:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll on a turf runway, the airplane's left main landing gear axle fractured, and the left landing gear wheel assembly departed the airframe. The airplane veered to the left, and the remaining portion of the left landing gear collapsed. The propeller and the lower left and right wings contacted the runway and were substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a crack had propagated through a manufacturer-welded area near the wheel assembly. The airplane was manufactured in 1961. It had been operated for about 760 total hours since new and 7 hours since its most recent condition inspection, which was performed about 11 months before the accident. A search of the Federal Aviation Administration service difficulty report database for the accident airplane make and model did not reveal any previous similar landing gear failures.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The fracture of the left main landing gear axle, which resulted in a loss of control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/24/2013
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Rupert
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31081
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 322650N
Event Location Longitude 0841533W
Event Location Airport Private
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 600
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID MCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 343
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
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) 68
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 30
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.95
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) 31097
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 15 2013 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N558J
NTSB Number ERA13CA149
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 BUCKER JUNGMANN
Aircraft Model CASA 1.31
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E3B-558
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Mar 11 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 762
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RED BARON AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810-4902
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Thomas Muller, Jr.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Rupert
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 31081
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Rupert
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Rupert
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 15 2013 12:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --