On August 23, 2003, a Cessna A185F (registration N44222) was involved in an aviation accident near Marion, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Fatigue and corrosion of the right main landing gear attachment, which resulted in a gear collapse while landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During landing, an airplane swerved left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing contacted the runway. Examination revealed fatigue fractures originating from corrosion pits at the bolt hole attachment.
Accident Description
Shortly after touchdown, the airplane began to swerve to the left. The pilot heard a scraping sound as the right main landing gear collapsed. The right wing then contacted the runway surface, and the airplane came to rest on the runway.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the lower outboard portion of the right main landing gear leg revealed a fracture through the upper bolt hole attachment. The forward portion of the bolt hole exhibited three distinct fatigue regions, each originating from a corrosion pit. The aft portion of the bolt hole contained one additional fatigue region also originating from a corrosion pit. These fatigue features indicated progressive cracking over time.
Aircraft Background
The airplane had accumulated approximately 8,000 total hours of operation. Prior to the pilot's purchase, the airplane was operated as a bush plane in Guatemala. The service history in that environment may have contributed to the development of corrosion, though the investigation did not determine a specific cause for the failure.
