7W N17662 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico

Probable cause

Fatigue failure of the right main landing gear, rendering directional control impossible and causing an overload failure of the left main landing gear.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was practicing full stop landings and he made a "firm" landing. Shortly thereafter, the right main landing gear collapsed and the airplane began veering to the right. The pilot made corrective inputs but could not maintain directional control. The airplane departed the runway. The left main landing gear then collapsed. Both wings were bent and the fuselage sustained bulkhead damage. According to NTSB's Materials Laboratory report, the right main landing gear strut "appeared relatively rough and light gray consistent with overstress fracture of a cast aluminum alloy." Examination of the corner radius where the outboard support flange intersects the vertical tube "showed areas with a smooth faceted appearance with curving boundaries consistent with fatigue." Examination of the fractures faces of the left main landing gear strut "showed features indicative of overstress separation...An area of the fracture surface was smooth and shiny, features consistent with smearing associated with the compression side of an overstress fracture in bending."

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for DEN08LA064 for the full record.