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CEN20CA220

2020-06-08 · Sulfer, Louisiana, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport UXL

N44LA has since been reassigned. It is now registered to a different aircraft (LEGACY AIR1 LLC CHINOOK P2), which was not involved in this event.

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

A loss of directional control as a result of a fractured landing gear attach bracket.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, while landing his tailwheel airplane on runway 15 with gusty winds from 250°, there was a slight bounce when he touched the runway with the right tire. As the left main tire touched down, he felt the left side of the airplane "drop suddenly." As the airplane continued down the runway, it began to veer to the left. He applied full right rudder and right brake, which kept the airplane on the runway for several hundred feet before directional control could no longer be maintained. The airplane exited the runway and nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the right elevator. A post-accident examination revealed a fractured left landing gear inboard attach bracket. According to the pilot, while landing his tailwheel airplane on runway 15 with gusty winds from 250°, there was a slight bounce when he touched the runway with the right tire. As the left main tire touched down, he felt the left side of the airplane "drop suddenly." As the airplane continued down the runway, it began to veer to the left. He applied full right rudder and right brake, which kept the airplane on the runway for several hundred feet before directional control could no longer be maintained. The airplane exited the runway and nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the right elevator. A post-accident examination revealed a fractured left landing gear inboard attach bracket.  Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Main landing gear attach sec-Failure - C
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Attain/maintain not possible

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_CEN20CA220.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.