Universal Moulded Pdts. Monocoach accident near Pullman, Washington, August 17, 2004
On August 17, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Universal Moulded Pdts. Monocoach, registered N11872, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pullman, Washington (Pullman-Moscow Reg. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a landing gear oleo retaining nut safety clip (snap ring) at an unknown point in time, leading to the partial separation of the landing gear strut while in flight, and the full collapse of the strut during the subsequent landing. Factors include the grassy terrain that the pilot chose to execute the landing on.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pullman, Washington · Pullman-Moscow Reg. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Universal Moulded Pdts. Monocoach
- Registration
- N11872 · registry record · serial 5012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a landing, just as the aircraft's two main wheels touched the surface of the runway, it suddenly jerked to the side and started to veer from the runway heading. The pilot therefore immediately added power and pulled the aircraft off the ground. He then climbed out to an altitude where he could visually inspect the gear legs and evaluate his situation. When he looked at the gear legs, he discovered that the left main gear strut oleo had come out of its housing, and the gear strut structure was hanging from the aircraft by two of its attach points. He therefore circled the area for awhile, waiting for emergency vehicles to get in place at the airport prior to his attempt to land on the remaining main gear. Once the equipment was in place, he landed on the grass alongside of the paved runway. The aircraft touched down on the right main gear, and the pilot kept the other gear leg elevated as long as possible. Eventually, as the aircraft slowed, the left gear strut dug into the terrain and collapsed. A post-accident inspection of the gear system determined that the landing gear shock strut retaining nut safety clip (snap ring) had failed, thus allowing the shock strut retaining nut to back off of its threads. Without this retaining nut in place, the oleo piston was free to drop out of its housing, leaving the landing gear only partially attached to the fuselage.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,175 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 11, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,904 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2004; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R760-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1S1 Porthill ID at 2:45 pm
- Destination: PUW Pullman WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 6,730 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N11872 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.