No fatalities

29 Aug 2016: NORTH AMERICAN NAVION A (N91488) — Monett, MO

Monett, MO, United States

On 29 Aug 2016, a NORTH AMERICAN NAVION A (registration N91488) was involved in an aviation accident near Monett, MO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly rig the right main landing gear locking mechanism, which resulted in a gear collapse during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

On August 29, 2016, a North American Navion N91488 veered off runway 18 at Monett Regional Airport after the right main landing gear collapsed. The pilot was uninjured; the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Investigation revealed improper rigging of the landing gear.

Accident Details

On August 29, 2016, at approximately 0930 central daylight time, a North American Navion airplane, registration N91488, departed the side of runway 18 at Monett Regional Airport (KHFJ) in Monett, Missouri. The airplane was substantially damaged, but the pilot reported no injuries. The flight was operated as a personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Gimlin Airport (18MO) in Ozark, Missouri, and was landing at KHFJ.

Pilot Account

The pilot reported that after a normal approach and landing on runway 18, he observed that the airplane's right wing was lower than the left wing, and the airplane began to pull to the right. The airplane exited the right side of the runway, descended an embankment, and traveled through a barbed wire fence. Upon inspection, the pilot noted that the right main landing gear (MLG) had collapsed. During recovery, when the airplane was lifted, the right MLG was extended manually and locked into place.

Aircraft Examination

Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the airplane. A landing gear swing test was conducted, which revealed that the landing gear had been improperly rigged.

Maintenance History

A review of the airplane's history indicated that several weeks before the accident, the right MLG scissor was damaged during a high-speed turn. Maintenance records showed that on July 22, 2016, the right MLG scissor was replaced with a serviceable unit, and a gear retraction test was performed and described as satisfactory.

Contributing factors

Incorrect service/maintenanceMaintenance personnel