CHI96LA024

Factual narrative

On October 24, 1995, at 1440 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna A185E, N1613M, operated and owned by an instrument rated commercial pilot, was substantially damaged during landing at Liberal Municipal Airport, Liberal, Kansas. While landing, the left main landing gear wheel broke off. The pilot reported minor injuries. A VFR flight plan was on file. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight had departed Platte Municipal Airport, Platte, South Dakota, at 1113 cdt. From the pilot's written statement, the pilot said he had landed on runway 17 and was taxiing to a taxiway turn off when the airplane veered to the right from a gust of wind. The pilot stated, " ...he applied full left rudder and applied power to correct but the airplane skidded to the right and tipped up on the nose and right wing tip... ." Five minutes before the accident, Liberal automatic weather observation station (AWOS) reported winds from 190 degrees at 23 knots with gusts to 28 knots. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Principal Maintenance Inspector (PMI) represented the NTSB during the on-scene investigation. The PMI said, there were 120 feet long rubber skid mark followed shortly after by a metal skid mark about 30 to 40 feet long on the runway. The left tire showed abrasive scratches on the outside of the tire and the axle was sheared off at the four bolts that attach it to the landing gear. The bottom of the left wing tip showed evidence of scrapping. AFTER LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND, WHICH TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND POWER TO CORRECT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR FAILED, AND THE AIRPLANE EXITED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, COMING TO REST ON ITS NOSE AND RIGHT WING. REPORTED WINDS AT THE AIRPORT WERE 190 DEGREES AT 23 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 28 KNOTS. THERE WAS A RUBBER SKID MARK FOLLOWED BY METAL SKID MARKS ON THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT TIRE HAD SCRATCHES ON THE OUTSIDE WALL, AND THE AXLE HAD SHEARED OFF AT THE FOUR BOLTS THAT ATTACHED IT TO THE LANDING GEAR. THE LEFT BOTTOM WING TIP WAS ALSO SCRATCHED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12