Probable cause
The fatigue fracture failure of both main landing gear (MLG) legs during the landing roll, which resulted in the collapse and separation of both MLG legs.
NTSB analysis
The commercial pilot reported that, after an uneventful touchdown on the dry, gravel-surface runway, he felt a medium vibration as he applied the brakes. As the airplane continued the landing roll, both main landing gear (MLG) legs sheared off. The propeller impacted the runway, and the airplane came to rest on the bottom of the fuselage, which sustained substantial damage.
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that both MLG legs failed due to fatigue cracking. The fatigue cracks were extended by intermittent overstress until the legs separated. The overstress extensions likely occurred during the accident landing or immediately before it because there was no corrosion of the crack surfaces.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC16LA072 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 26, 2016
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Nearest airport
- Lake Hood (LHD)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Helio H-250
- N-number
- N6324V
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1966
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.