GAA16CA487

Factual narrative

The flight instructor reported that during taxi the airplane started to lean to the right, so he looked out of his window to see if the right tire was flat. He further reported that "the ramp was opening up into a 2 foot wide dark black hole" underneath the right main landing gear. The flight instructor and student pilot egressed from the airplane without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the empennage. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Photographs provided by Federal Aviation Administration showed that the right main landing gear had broken through the pavement into a sink hole underneath. The flight instructor reported that during taxi the airplane started to lean to the right, so he looked out of his window to see if the right tire was flat. He further reported that "the ramp was opening up into a 2 foot wide dark black hole" underneath the right main landing gear. The flight instructor and student pilot egressed from the airplane without further incident. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the empennage. The flight instructor reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Photographs provided by Federal Aviation Administration showed that the right main landing gear had broken through the pavement into a sink hole underneath. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-(general)-Effect on equipment - C