No fatalities

28 Jun 2008: Taylorcraft DCO-65 — Richard Davies — Somerset, TX

Somerset, TX, United States

On 28 Jun 2008, a Taylorcraft DCO-65 operated by Richard Davies was involved in an aviation accident near Somerset, TX. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The right main landing gear strut failure due to metal fatigue. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a landing roll on a turf airstrip, the right main landing gear strut failed, causing substantial damage to multiple components. The pilot and passenger were uninjured.

Event Overview

An airline transport rated pilot completed a successful landing on runway 13 of a turf airstrip. During the landing roll, at approximately 30 miles per hour, the passenger reported hearing a "loud pop" followed by the aircraft coming to a complete stop.

Inspection Findings

A Federal Aviation Inspector who examined the scene noted that the right main landing gear strut had failed. The failure was consistent with corrosion and subsequent metal fatigue. Substantial damage was identified on the right wing strut, rudder, tail wheel assembly, right main landing gear, and the propeller.

Occupant Status

Both the pilot and passenger were able to exit the airplane unassisted and were uninjured.

Weather Conditions

Winds at the time of the accident were reported from 140 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 18 knots.

Contributing factors

Fatigue/wear/corrosionMain gear strut/axle/truck — Failure