Cessna 172K accident near Amarillo, Texas, June 7, 2007
On June 7, 2007 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N7370G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amarillo, Texas (Tradewind Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left main landing gear spring assembly as a result of an unapproved repair by an unknown person(s), which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2007 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · Tradewind Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N7370G · no longer on the register · serial 17259070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot lost control of the airplane after the left main landing gear spring failed during the landing roll. According to the 45-hour student pilot, while attempting a crosswind landing in a single-engine airplane, the right main landing gear tire touched down first, followed by the left main landing gear tire; however, when the left hand tire made contact with the ground "something went wrong." The student pilot thought he may have had a flat tire and he held the left wing up for as long as possible to minimize the amount of weight on the tire. The airplane went-off the side of the runway after the student pilot was unable to maintain directional control of the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed the left main landing gear spring fractured into two sections at the point where the foot-step attached to the spring. The fractured spring assembly, including the foot-step and bracket, were shipped to a metallurgical laboratory for further examination. According to the Factual Report, the spring gear fractured at the point where the foot-step was installed to the spring. The step was welded to the spring gear by two transverse weld beads on the top and side of the spring. In addition, there were two longitudinal weld beads on the lower surface of the spring. According to the report, "...the weld beads were tall and rounded with weld spatter on the surrounding surfaces and not consistent with good quality workmanship." The spring gear fracture intersected the longitudinal weld on the lower surface of the spring. A magnified examination of the fracture surface revealed that the fracture initiated at this weld bead. The airplane's last annual inspection was completed in January 2007. A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed no entries relating to a weld repair on the spring gear. According to the owner, who just recently purchased the airplane, no maintenance had been performed on the airplane since it was purchased. According to the manufacturer's Service Manual, the foot-step should be bonded to the steel landing gear spring with EA9303 or a similar adhesive. In addition, FAA Advisory Circular AC43.13-1B CHG 1, Acceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices-Aircraft inspection and Repair, section 4-89, titled Aircraft Parts Not To Be Welded, part (A), stated, "Do not weld alloy steel parts such as aircraft bolts, turnbuckle ends, etc., which have been heat treated to improve their mechanical properties."
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 45 hours in all; 45 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,369.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2007; 41.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F21 Memphis TX at 2:45 pm
- Destination: TDW Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 24 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 24,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from AMA, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.