Cessna 180 N9140R accident near Egegik, Alaska

Probable cause

A failure of the right main landing gear leg for reasons that could not be determined.

NTSB analysis

The pilot stated that, during the landing roll on a remote, gravel-covered beach, the right main landing gear leg broke just above the wheel axle. The remaining gear leg dug into the frozen gravel and folded under the fuselage, and the airplane veered right, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing.

A postaccident examination by the pilot revealed that the right main landing gear leg fractured a few inches above the axle. The fractured landing gear leg was ground into the gravel-covered surface before the main landing gear leg folded aft, which obliterated the fracture surface. The separated right wheel assembly traveled into the lake and was not recovered; therefore, the failure mode of the landing gear leg could not be determined. The pilot stated that the main landing gear legs were last inspected for cracks about 15 years before the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC25LA009 for the full record.