Amateur-built RV-4 accident near Arlington, Washington, March 18, 2010
On March 18, 2010 at about 9:55 pm local time, a amateur-built RV-4, registered N66PB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Arlington, Washington (Arlington Municipal Arpt airport). It was a personal 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 both main landing gear's drag link bolts in overstress and the subsequent collapse of the landing gear during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2010 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · Arlington Municipal Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RV-4
- Registration
- N66PB · no longer on the register · serial 2953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that when he took off and retracted the airplane's landing gear, only the tailwheel retracted. He lowered the landing gear and saw three green lights, indicating that all three landing gear were down and safe for landing. He then proceeded to his destination with the main landing gear down. During landing rollout at his destination, the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane departed the left side of the runway before the right main landing gear collapsed as well. When the left wing's main landing gear collapsed outward, it damaged the wing structure and punctured the left fuel tank. The skin on the top of the right wing and the right aileron were wrinkled. Postaccident examination of the landing gear revealed that both main landing gear drag link bolts failed. These bolts were welded to the back of each main landing gear as part of their landing retraction system. Examination of photographs of the broken bolts by an NTSB metallurgist revealed that each bolt exhibited cantilever beam bending in overstress. The quality of the photographs was inadequate to determine if fatigue played a role.
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 landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 435 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 5, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 635 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 3, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: AWO Arlington WA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 34, 5,332 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from AWO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N66PB 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.