Beech 76 accident near Glendale, Arizona, July 30, 2009
On July 30, 2009 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Beech 76, registered N83ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 fatigue failure of the left main landing gear enhanced side brace assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2009 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N83ER · registry record · serial ME-201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the landing gear warning horn went off while taxiing to the ramp at the conclusion of the instructional flight. After checking that the landing gear handle was down and bringing the airplane to a complete stop, the left main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. A subsequent examination of the left main landing gear system revealed that the side frame assembly was the latest enhanced version and had failed as a result of fatigue, consistent with the stresses developed from the bending moments applied to the down tube during the normal extension and retraction of the main landing gear, as well as during takeoff, landing, and taxiing. A search of the relevant data bases disclosed no other reports of similar failures in the new enhanced version of the part.
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 standing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 690 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 587 as pilot in command; 415 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 25, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 251 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 166 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 2009; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,916 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Safety Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 8:30 pm
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from GEU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.