Amateur-built SC SKYBOLT accident near Corvallis, Oregon, August 24, 2016
On August 24, 2016 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1993 amateur-built SC SKYBOLT, registered N300SB, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Corvallis, Oregon (Corvallis Muni 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 collapse of the left main landing gear truss due to a weld joint failure, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage frame structure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2016 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Corvallis, Oregon · Corvallis Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SC SKYBOLT NO SERIES, built 1993
- Registration
- N300SB · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The father of the passenger reported that his son, who was the passenger and owner, had just purchased the airplane, that a prepurchase inspection was conducted, and that “everything looked good.” The pilot was conducting a personal, local flight in the airplane, which included normal maneuvers and several touch-and-go landings with no issues. However, after the last landing and while taxiing the airplane back to the ramp, the left main landing gear (MLG) collapsed. Examination of the left MLG’s truss structure, which is welded to the fuselage, revealed substantial damage to the fuselage frame structure. Examination also revealed that a weld joint where the truss mounts to the fuselage was cracked and broken. Rust was noted around the weld area, and it appeared that a previous crack had been repaired. The father reported that the area of the failure was hidden behind the bungee and was not visible during the prepurchase inspection. Given the evidence, it is likely that the left main landing gear collapsed due to the weld joint failure.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: CVO Corvallis OR at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CVO Corvallis OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KCVO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on March 3, 2021. 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 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | 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.