SEA83LA177

Factual narrative

THE ACFT LANDED IN A NEAR MAXIMUM VELOCITY CROSSWIND AND WHILE BRAKING TO CONTROL/CORRECT A SWERVE, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE LANDING WAS ON RWY 28R AND THE WIND WAS FROM 200 DEGREES AT 10 TO 14 KTS ON FINAL AND 12 KTS WHEN THE PILOT WAS OVER THE THRESHOLD. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT WHEEL AND BOUNCED A LITTLE. ITTOUCHED DOWN AGAIN ON THE LEFT GEAR AND THE PILOT RAISED THE TAIL. THE RIGHT MAIN CAME DOWN WITH THE TAIL STILL IN THE AIR. AT ABOUT 4O MPH THE TAIL WAS LOWERED AND THE ACFT STARTED A LEFT TURN. THE PILOT CORRECTED WITH FULL RUDDER AND RIGHT BRAKING. THE PILOT DETECTED A SINKING ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THEN THE RIGHT STRUT COLLAPSED. WHEN HE DEPLANED THE PILOT DISCOVERED THE RIGHT GEAR HAD SEPARATED. THE MAXIMUM DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND VELOCITY FOR THIS AIRCRAFT (CESSNA 185) IS 15 KTS. METALLURGICAL TESTS WERE PERFORMED ON THE RIGHT WHEEL SPINDLE ATTACHING NUTS AND BOLTS WHICH SHOWED THAT THE REAR BOLTS FAILED AT THE INTERFACE OF SPINDLE AND STRUT DUE TO TENSILE OVERLOAD. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12