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WPR20CA183

2020-06-15 · Butte, Montana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BTM

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fence post during final approach which resulted in a damage to the left main landing gear, and its subsequent collapse during landing.

Factual narrative

While on final approach to land, about 150 ft above the ground, the pilot maneuvered and descended the airplane away from a bird. The pilot then realized that he was on a lower approach path to the runway after he observed an airport perimeter fence, but felt that he could still perform a safe landing and increased engine power to continue the approach. The airplane’s left main landing gear then struck a fence post and the pilot initiated a go-around to return to the departure airport. After unsuccessful attempts to verify the left main landing gear was extended and locked, he initiated a landing with full flaps and in a right-wing low attitude. As the airplane touched down, the left main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered left, exited the runway, and the left wing struck a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Monitoring environment-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Pole-Effect on operation
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Main landing gear-Damaged/degraded

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_WPR20CA183.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (go-around). All research papers