Remos Aircraft Gmbh Flugzeugba GX N87GX accident near Glendale, Arizona

Probable cause

The material overstress failure of the airframe’s aluminum carry-through of the main landing gear.

NTSB analysis

Upon landing, the airplane veered to the left and the flight instructor took control of the airplane, preventing a runway excursion. During the landing, roll a grinding noise occurred and the flight instructor was able to shut down the airplane on a nearby taxiway.

A postaccident examination revealed that the aluminum carry-through spar failed in overstress. A portion of the failed carry-through remained attached to the landing gear and breached the composite structure, entering the cabin floor under the passenger seat. About 12 inches of the carry-through structure had separated from the airplane, permitting the horizontal stabilizer and elevator to skid on runway surface, eroding the composite structure. The fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with overstress and hardness; conductivity measurements were consistent with a material that met the minimum strength requirements for the carry-through.

A review of the maintenance records revealed that the manufacturer’s service bulletin for the mandatory inspection had been accomplished. The service bulletin called for the replacement of the carry-through as soon as practical, but, at the latest, after detection of cracks or 800 total landings, which ever came first. The carry-through failure occurred when the airplane had accumulated nearly 437 landings. The accident airplane was operated as a flight training airplane and likely experienced a hard landing during flight training operations, which may have accelerated the carry-through overstress failure.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR21LA037 for the full record.