Hawker Siddeley HUNTER accident near Newport News, Virginia, May 9, 2019
On May 9, 2019 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1959 Hawker Siddeley HUNTER, registered N343AX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Newport News, Virginia (Newport News/Williamsburg Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under public-use (government) rules. 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 right main landing gear due to a fatigue cracking.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2019 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Newport News, Virginia · Newport News/Williamsburg Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hawker Siddeley HUNTER MK58, built 1959
- Registration
- N343AX · no longer on the register · serial 41H-697450
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a training flight under the supervision of a flight instructor in a second airplane. Following a touch-and-go landing, the landing gear was retracted; however, the right main landing gear indicated unsafe. After consultation with the flight instructor, the pilot again attempted to lower the landing gear and then observed a normal indication that all three landing gear were down and locked into position. As the pilot turned onto the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he noticed a hydraulic warning light. The flight instructor also noticed fluid streaming from the right side of the airplane. Shortly thereafter, the pilot noted low hydraulic pressure and it was decided he would conduct a no-flap landing, utilizing the remaining hydraulic pressure to boost the flight controls. Immediately upon touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed. The pilot was unable to control the airplane and it veered off the right side of the runway before stopping. The right main landing gear strut was broken in two parts. Examination of the broken right gear components revealed small crack features consistent with a preexisting progressive crack at the base of the aft pivot pin bore. It is likely that the preexisting fatigue crack in the landing gear propagated to the point of failure. The crack also likely became large enough for hydraulic fluid to leak following the touch-and-go landing and failed catastrophically when the airplane touched down during the final landing.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 202 in the last 90 days; 142 in the last 30 days; 8,438 as pilot in command; 853 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 8, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,604 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 26, 2019; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 25,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Avon 203/7 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Airborne Tactical Advantage Company
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 8,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 30 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from phf
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 14, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's and Wingman Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | 19-077 - Materials Lab Factual Report (ERA19LA169) | PDF, 24 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 17 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.