Ryan NAVION accident near Chicago, Illinois, July 27, 2019
On July 27, 2019 at about 9:17 pm local time, a 1950 Ryan NAVION, registered N27AW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Midway Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left main landing gear upper side brace assembly during landing due to reverse bending fatigue as a result of the incomplete penetration of the circumferential weld during initial production of the component.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2019 · about 9:17 pm local time
- Place
- Chicago, Illinois · Chicago Midway Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION B, built 1950 · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N27AW · registry record · serial 4-2172B
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that as the airplane touched down on the dry concrete runway, he heard a "snap" noise but that the landing was "smooth and normal." He taxied the entire length of the runway for the rollout but then had difficulty taxiing the airplane straight. The pilot thought that he had a flat tire until he exited the airplane and saw that the left main landing gear had failed. A postaccident examination revealed the left main landing gear upper side brace assembly fractured due to reverse bending fatigue at the circumferential weld between the middle tube and the fork at the inboard end of the assembly. The fatigue initiated from the tip of the weld in areas of incomplete weld penetration. The weld was performed during initial production of the component. The fatigue cracks extended radially outward from the interior surface of the tube, but the fatigue region did not intersect the outer surface. Thus, the cracks likely would not have been detected by visual inspection. The failure of the weld resulted in the displacement of the left main landing gear strut outboard toward the wingtip, which caused substantial damage to the underside of the left wing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft structural failure during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Design
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 29, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,920.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,160 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming Engines GO-480-G1D6 (piston); 615 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENW Kenosha WI at 8:40 pm
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 5,141 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KMDW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN19LA251.