Gulfstream Am CORP Comm Div 695A accident near Bishop, California, April 26, 2018
On April 26, 2018 at about 7:55 pm local time, a 1982 Gulfstream Am CORP Comm Div 695A, registered N79PH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bishop, California (Bishop airport). It was a business 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the left main landing gear upper arm forging due to fatigue cracking and subsequent overstress, which resulted in the collapse of the landing gear during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2018 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Bishop, California · Bishop · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream Am CORP Comm Div 695A A, built 1982 · all 695As on the register
- Registration
- N79PH · registry record · serial 96029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that before touching down on the runway with a 13-kt 50° right crosswind, the landing gear were down with the three green landing gear lights illuminated. After touching down and beginning the ground roll, the airplane pulled slightly to the left, the left wing dropped, and the airplane started to pull harder to the left. The pilot corrected with right rudder and brake, as well as reverse power on the right engine. The left wing dropped further, and the airplane pulled harder to the left before coming to rest about 10 ft from the left edge of the runway. The left main landing gear had collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed that the left main landing gear upper arm forging failed from fatigue cracking. The largest fatigue crack appeared to have initiated along multiple sites along scratch-like features on the outside surface of the arm. These cracks grew inward under spectrum loads until the loads from the accident landing could not be withstood by the remaining cross section, causing the part to fracture in overstress.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,636 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 10,466 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 15, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,666 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2017; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,250 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNO Chino CA at 7:10 pm
- Destination: BIH Bishop CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 7,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from BIH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR18LA129.