N343AXHawker Siddeley HUNTER MK.58 · 1959

On May 9, 2019, at 1015 eastern daylight time, a Hawker Siddeley Hunter MK-58, N343AX, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Newport News-Williamsburg International (PHF), Newport News, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a public aircraft for the instructional flight.

An operator’s flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was initial training for the recently hired pilot. The flight instructor observed the flight and provided the pilot verbal instructions from another MK-58, which he flew in formation with the accident airplane. The mission briefing, preflight inspection, takeoff, and en route phases of the flight were unremarkable. The flight then returned to PHF to practice touch-and-go landings.

According to the pilot, following a touch-and -go landing, the right main landing gear indicated unsafe after retraction. After consultation with the flight instructor, the pilot again lowered the landing gear and then observed a normal indication that all three landing gear were down and locked into position. As the pilot turned onto the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he noticed a hydraulic warning light. The flight instructor also noticed fluid streaming from the right side of the airplane. Shortly thereafter, the pilot noted low hydraulic pressure and the decision was made to conduct a no-flap landing, utilizing the remaining hydraulic pressure to boost the flight controls.

Immediately upon touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the pilot deployed the brake parachute. The pilot was unable to control the airplane and it veered off the right side of the runway and came to a complete stop.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right main landing gear strut was broken into two parts.

The right main landing gear upper trunnion strut was examined at the National Transportation Safety Board NTSB) Materials Laboratory. Examination of the fracture surfaces revealed features consistent with a preexisting progressive crack on the main fitting fracture surface at the base of the aft pivot pin bore.