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LAX92LA139

1992-03-08 · LIVERMORE, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport LVK

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SADDLE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT WAS INBOUND FOR LANDING WHEN HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN EXTENDING THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE RUNWAY, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID INTO A RUNWAY LIGHT STRUCTURE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS REVEALED THAT THE MAIN LANDING GEAR SADDLE CASTING HAD FAILED, LEAVING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WITHOUT SUPPORT. THE LANDING GEAR SADDLE STRUCTURE ON THIS AIRCRAFT IS THE SUBJECT OF AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE WHICH REQUIRES REPETITIVE INSPECTIONS FOR CRACKS. THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE AD HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH ON THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION, 42 HOURS AND 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE FAA INSPECTOR NOTED THAT THE SADDLE CASTING HAD ABUNDANT EVIDENCE OF A RECENT DIE PENETRANT INSPECTION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92LA139.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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