Piper PA-28-140 accident near Chino, California, December 10, 2010
On December 10, 2010 at about 11:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5800U, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Chino, California (Chino 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
Fatigue cracking of the upper torque-link attach lugs on the left main landing gear strut, which resulted in separation of the left main landing gear during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2010 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Chino, California · Chino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5800U · no longer on the register · serial 28-23502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor and student pilot had just performed a soft-field landing. During the subsequent rollout, they noted that the airplane was not taxiing as expected. As the airplane exited the runway, it dropped onto its left wing and spun to the left. Examination of the left main landing gear revealed that the upper torque-link attachment lugs had detached from the landing gear strut, causing separation of the wheel assembly and subsequent substantial damage to the left wing. Further metallurgical examination of the strut revealed evidence of preexisting fatigue cracks to the upper torque-link attachment lugs. The airplane manufacturer issued a Service Bulletin about 8 years prior to the accident requiring inspection of the lugs in the area of failure. No evidence was found suggesting that the Service Bulletin had been complied with.
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 taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Unscheduled maint checks › Not inspected
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,235 hours in all; 692 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 1,188 as pilot in command; 958 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 63 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,350 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 20, 2010; 63 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dubois Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: CNO Chino CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26L, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from CNO, 5 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N5800U 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.