Event LAX94LA227

Factual narrative

On May 30, 1994, at 1513 Pacific daylight time, an antique Perth Amboy Bird BK airplane, N847W, nosed over following the failure of the right main landing gear during landing at the Reid Hillview airport, San Jose, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The certificate airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, incurred minor injuries. The flight originated at the Watsonville, California, airport on the day of the mishap at 1440 hours as a cross-country flight to San Jose. In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that the touchdown on runway 31 right was normal. After a short ground roll, the right main wheel and axle separated from the landing gear strut and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The pilot said that to the best of her knowledge the gear struts and axles are original equipment items on the 1929 year model biplane. The separated axle component was not supplied to the Safety Board for examination. The pilot reported that the touchdown on runway 31 right was normal. After a short ground roll, the right main wheel and axle separated from the landing gear strut and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The pilot said that to the best of her knowledge the gear struts and axles are original equipment items on the 1929 year model biplane. The mode of axle failure was not determined. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12