Luscombe 8A N2759K accident near Minden, Nevada

Probable cause

The failure of a main landing gear leg during takeoff due to corrosion, which resulted in a nose-over during the subsequent landing on a grassy area.

NTSB analysis

The airline transport pilot reported that, during the takeoff rotation, he heard a noise that seemed to be coming from the landing gear. Once airborne, the passenger observed the right wheel, including the axle assembly, hanging sideways from a brake cable. The pilot subsequently landed on a grassy area between the runway and a taxiway with the left wheel first, holding the right side off the ground as long as possible. The right main landing gear (MLG) leg then contacted the ground and skidded for about 50 ft before it dug into the grass, which resulted in a nose-over.

Postaccident examination of the right MLG leg revealed that it failed at the axle cluster, which had internal corrosion; the upper portion of the leg was not sealed. The type certificate holder had issued a service recommendation (SR) over 20 years before the accident that addressed corrosion damage above the axle weld area, which had led to the failure of MLG legs. The owner stated that this SR had not been accomplished on the airplane. It is likely that the accident could have been prevented if the SR had been accomplished even though it was not required by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR16LA141 for the full record.